Dark Summer
by princessbuffy79
Summary: Buffy and Xander are dating after events in "Dreaming While Awake." She must go spend the summer with her father, but the job just won't let her relax. What will she do without her friends by her side?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Dark Summer, Sequel to Dreaming While Awake  
Author: Melissa   
Email: princessbuffy79@hotmail.com  
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever had any claim on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all its related characters. They belong to the great and powerful Joss, Mutant Enemy, Fox, etc. Same with Prophecy Girl, written by Joss Whedon.  
Summary: Buffy goes away for the summer and has to deal with being apart from   
Xander. Of course, she also has to fight evil, but this time, her friends aren't at her side.  
Spoilers: Vague Prophecy Girl and the movie  
Distribution: If you want it, take it. Just let me know first.  
Feedback: Sorry, can't come up with a creative way to say "yes" at the moment. So, for now, YES.  
Author's Notes: Prophecy Girl originally aired June 2, 1997, but for our purposes, it is actually one month later.  
  
  
~June 7, 1997~  
  
"I'm not gonna cry or anything like that," Buffy said, her voice muffled in Xander's shoulder.  
  
"Nah, of course you're not," Xander smiled, feeling her tears soak through his shirt. "You're big strong Buffy."  
  
"Are you making fun of me?" the blond pulled back, glaring at her boyfriend.  
  
Xander was momentarily rendered speechless. Even when her eyes were swollen and her face flushed from crying, Buffy Summers was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He brushed his thumb along her cheek, preventing a lone tear from falling any further. "Buffy, I am not making fun of you. No, ma'am. Currently, I am a resident of the lovely metropolis 'Denial land,'" Xander grinned, relishing the beauty of Buffy's small smile. It was only a gentle tug at the corners of her mouth, but it was a beginning. "Care to join me?"  
  
Buffy shook her head and her eyes grew cloudy once more. "I don't want to go."  
  
Xander sighed and pulled his girlfriend closer. "I know, sweetheart. But it's only for the summer."  
  
"I know, but…" she sobbed.  
  
"But nothing. LA is not that far away. Besides, you'll be with your father," the dark-haired boy pointed out. "You miss him, don't you?"  
  
Buffy sniffled, "Yeah, I do," she admitted.  
  
"So you have to go. We'll both run up our parents phone bills by calling each other twenty times a day," Xander offered a mischievous grin. "Besides, I have great plans."   
  
"Oh yeah?" the Slayer asked. "And just what would those plans be?"  
  
"Like I'd tell you my ingenious plan to borrow the G-machine so I could rush off to LA in a daring attempt to rescue my fair maiden," he told her. "Please!" he scoffed.  
  
Buffy couldn't help it. She burst out laughing at the mere idea of Xander chugging along in Giles' dilapidated Citroen. "Think it'll make it?"  
  
"Oh yeah, she'll do just fine," Xander replied. "Underneath all of that faded metal is a hotrod just dying to get out."  
  
"She hides it well," Buffy commented with mock seriousness. She smiled a genuine smile and Xander's heart filled with pride. Earlier, Buffy's tears had been for him. Right now, though, her smile was for him and him alone. He took this memory and decided to file it away in the back of his mind. It would help him get through the coming months. Months without Buffy. How was he going to survive?  
  
"Buffy, your father's here," Joyce's called from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"I'll be right there, Mom," Buffy hollered back. She turned back to Xander, lower lip quivering.  
  
"Here, let me get your bags for you," Xander jumped into action, picking up the various bags lying around the room. He could tell Buffy was on the verge of tears again and he was hoping to prevent that, if not with humor then with activity. Xander was afraid he couldn't be strong much longer. But he had to for now, at least while Buffy was still around.  
  
"Geez Buffy, did you leave anything behind?" Xander grimaced as they made their way to the stairs.   
  
Buffy laughed in spite of her tears. "Well, I couldn't take the chance of forgetting anything. Especially my party clothes. I have to look good for my boyfriend back in LA, you know?"  
  
Xander stopped suddenly, halfway down the stairs. Buffy, not paying attention, ran into him and almost knocked him over. "Xander?" Buffy asked, noticing his stricken expression.  
  
"Your boyfriend?"  
  
Buffy giggled, "It was a joke." Xander relaxed, if only a little. "Geez Xand, gullible much?"  
  
"Not funny," Xander muttered under his breath. This past month felt like a dream to him. Buffy had rejected him after he had finally dredged up enough courage to ask her to the Spring Fling. The pain he had felt had been so intense, he almost hadn't gone to the school the next day. His heart raced when he thought of that night. If he hadn't ignored his pain, Buffy would not be here today. Not only did he, Xander Harris, King of Cretins, save her life, but he also gained a girlfriend. He wasn't so sure what changed her mind about the state of their relationship, he was just glad she had. But that didn't take away the fear that someday, he was going to wake up and discover it was all a dream.  
  
"Hi honey!" Hank greeted Buffy with a huge bear hug. He pulled back and looked harder at her face. "Have you been crying?"  
  
"I'm fine," Buffy grumbled, tossing a glance at Xander that was full of mixed emotions. How could she be so happy, yet so sad at the same time? This must be how bittersweet feels.  
  
"And this must be…?" Hank asked, reaching out toward Xander.   
  
"Xander," the boy replied, shaking the man's offered hand.  
  
"My boyfriend," Buffy said, pride evident in her voice.   
  
"Well, as long as you take good care of my baby," Hank smiled.  
  
"Dad," Buffy swatted at her father, but Xander could tell she loved every minute of his attention and feigned concern.   
  
"No problem there, sir," Xander said, struggling with the formalities. He wanted to appear somewhat serious to Buffy's father. "She's a treasure I don't ever intend to let go."  
  
Buffy giggled and turned to Xander. "Like I'd ever let you let me go," she whispered seductively into his ear. She longed to kiss him, but repressed that desire due to her parents' presence.  
  
"Well, we really should be on the road," Hank interrupted Buffy's thoughts. "I'm meeting with a potential big client at seven."  
  
"Hank!" Joyce was shocked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's your first night with Buffy and you're working?" Joyce was struggling to contain her anger with her ex-husband.   
  
"It's okay, Mom," Buffy said quietly, gently resting on of her small hands on her mother's arm. She hoped and prayed they wouldn't fight. Buffy was finally getting used to the peace between her parents now that they were divorced. She would do anything to keep them from fighting again.  
  
"You see, Buffy understands," Hank argued.  
  
"Dad," Buffy's tone was a warning. "Why don't you put my stuff in the car while I say good-bye to Mom and Xander?" Buffy hated having to be the adult, but she would do it if she had to.  
  
"Good idea," Hank agreed, gathering Buffy's luggage from Xander. "Xander, it was nice meeting you. If you make it to LA, I've been told I've got a fairly comfortable couch. You're welcome to it." The two men shook hands once more.  
  
"I'll probably take you up on that," Xander felt relieved. He had been worried about meeting Buffy's father, being introduced as the boyfriend. That thought still made him giddy.  
  
Hank exited the house and made his way to the car. Buffy walked over to her mom and threw her arms around her. "Keep him out of trouble," Buffy pleaded.  
  
"Of course, honey," Joyce whispered conspiratorially with her daughter. "I'll make sure he's kept so busy he won't even have time to miss you." Joyce noticed Buffy's look. "Or maybe not."  
  
"Hey! Is there room for me at this mother/daughter party?" Xander asked, moving closer to the other two.  
  
"Why don't you two say your good-byes while I go tell your father a couple of things?" Joyce said, walking out the open door.  
  
"So," Xander started, unsure of what else to say.  
  
"So," Buffy repeated. She wasn't sure why this hurt so much. She and Xander had only been "official" for a month. But for some reason, the idea of not seeing him for a while tore at her soul. And it was taking every ounce of strength she had to keep it all together. She may have enhanced physical strength, but in other ways, she was only human.  
  
Xander knew words wouldn't make this pain go away, so he didn't even try. Instead, he pulled Buffy close, resting his chin on the top of her head. She buried her face in his chest and they just stood there, holding each other close. But like all good things, it had to come to an end. Buffy knew the time had come for her to go. She pulled back and stared into Xander's expressive brown eyes. Reaching up, she gently brushed a wild lock of hair back off of his face.  
  
"I gotta go," Buffy's voice trembled.  
  
"I know," Xander struggled to get the words out, his throat tight with emotion.  
  
A honk sounded as the young couple made their way out to the car, hand in hand. Once they reached the passenger-side door, Buffy turned to face her boyfriend. She threw her arms around his neck and brushed her lips against his. She didn't care that her parents were witnesses. This was for her. And him. Buffy and Xander. Xander lifted her up off of the ground, holding her as close as possible. Buffy kissed him again and whispered, "I love you" into Xander's ear. Xander's grip relaxed and Buffy slid along the length of his body until her feet were firmly on the ground.   
  
Buffy smiled at Xander and her eyes lit up. Then she turned to give her mother a final good-bye. Still smiling, Buffy climbed in the car and her father pulled away.  
  
Xander stood there on the sidewalk in a state of shock. Long after Hank's car had disappeared from sight, he stood there beside Joyce, not saying anything. Finally, Joyce walked over to Xander, wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and led him back to the porch. They sat side-by-side on the front steps in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.   
  
"She said she loved me," Xander blurted out. He didn't know why he was telling her this. This was Joyce, Buffy's mom. But it didn't matter. The single most amazing thing in his life had just happened and he needed to share is with someone. Too bad Willow was at her grandparents' house. She would love this.  
  
"She hasn't told you that before?" Joyce asked.  
  
Xander shook his head. "We agreed never to tell each other something that important unless we were sure we meant it. To prevent getting hurt, or something like that."  
  
"Then she meant it," Joyce decided. She knew her daughter. Buffy kept her feeling locked deep inside. She was so afraid of getting hurt. Joyce felt guilty, knowing that her failed relationship with Buffy's father was the major cause of Buffy's anxiety. But Xander had been good for her daughter. She smiled a lot more, hugged more frequently. These were little things, but the meant the world to her. It's the little things in life that matter most.  
  
"Wow!" Xander mumbled. Joyce smiled at his amazement. As a mother, she felt her daughter was moving too fast with this boy. But as a woman, well, she knew things were right on track.  
  
"Hey Joyce?" Xander's voice disrupted the woman's train of thought.   
  
"Hmmm?" she replied.  
  
"Do you mind if I stay here awhile?" he asked. "You know, until Buffy calls at least?"  
  
Joyce frowned slightly, but quickly moved to cover it up so that Xander wouldn't get the wrong idea. She had a vague idea of what his home life was like and she wasn't too thrilled with what she did know. "Sure. The couch is available, too," she told him. "Just in case she calls late. Or you can just sleep in her bed."  
  
"The couch is fine," Xander said with a small smile. At least he didn't have to go home tonight.   
  
Joyce stood up and moved toward the door. "Hungry?" she asked her houseguest.  
  
Xander followed her lead. "Famished," he admitted.  
  
"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Joyce laughed as she closed the front door behind her. 


	2. An old friend

Buffy sighed as she fought her way through the crowds at the mall. Usually, she loved to shop. Unfortunately, today her heart just wasn't into it. She had only been in LA for three weeks, but that was three weeks without Xander.   
  
"Ooh! Shoes!" she squealed. Realizing nearby shoppers had heard her, Buffy ducked into the store, embarrassed. Buffy smiled slightly. Shoes wouldn't take away the loneliness, but they were definitely a temporary relief.  
  
Half an hour later, Buffy exited the store, beaming with satisfaction about her three new purchases. The red strappy shoes would look great with the black miniskirt and red top that Xander loved so much. She missed him more than she thought was possible. Buffy's smile fell as she thought of her boyfriend and the distance between them. So she sighed and continued walking.  
  
Buffy was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she almost didn't hear her name being called. Buffy stopped suddenly, looking around to find the source.   
  
"Buffy?" the voice called again. "Buffy Summers?"  
  
Buffy noticed a tall brunette heading in her direction. "Oh my god! Kimberly?" Buffy squealed as she recognized her old friend. The two girls threw their arms around each other in greeting and kissed the air just above the other's cheek. Kimberly pulled back and gave Buffy a once-over.  
  
"Wow, Buffy, you look great!" Kimberly smiled. "Oh, and it's just Kym, with a 'y' now."  
  
"How," Buffy began, searching her mind for the right word. "Tres chic."  
  
"Why thank you!" Kym held her hand to her heart, a trace of a Southern-accent in her voice. "What's it been, like, three years or something."  
  
"Or something," Buffy agreed. It was actually only one and a half years, but who was counting? Seeing her old friend was great, but the best thing was that Kym had moved to Louisiana before Buffy had become the Slayer.  
  
"Wow! Imagine seeing you here," Kym remarked. "I had totally lost track of the old gang, seeing how you were all too good to write me."  
  
"Um, excuse much!" Buffy exclaimed, falling slightly into the slang of her LA days. "Are you suffering from severe memory loss or did you just totally forget that you never gave us your address?"  
  
"I didn't?" Kym looked shocked.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Whoops!" Kym sighed. "I knew I was forgetting something." She perked up. "Oh well! You're here now. So, where's everyone?"  
  
"Everyone?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, everyone," Kym looked at Buffy as if she had suddenly grown a third arm. "You know? Andy? Jeffrey? Cassandra? The other Kim? Everyone!"  
  
"Oh them," Buffy tensed up. "Well, I don't actually know…"  
  
"Why not?"   
  
"Well, not to go into too much detail or anything," Buffy started. "I moved."  
  
"Oh," Kym fell silent while she processed the information. Then her face lit up, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. "Oh! You moved! Where to?"  
  
"It's not far from here. A little place called Sunnydale." Buffy explained. "It's pretty small. There's like no places to really go and party or anything," she continued as they made their way into the food court.  
  
"How dreadful!" Kym cried. "Of course, I'm not doing much better. That's why I convinced my parents to send me here for the summer. Withdrawal or something."  
  
"It was at first. Dreadful, that is," Buffy admitted. "But I got used to it."  
  
"I bet you reign over that school," Kym sighed wistfully.  
  
"Actually," Buffy stalled, trying to decide how much to tell Kym. She finally decided she had nothing to lose. "I'm not. I do have friends, but I'm not 'cool enough' to be popular there."  
  
"You've gotta be kidding! You, not cool enough? But I know what you mean," Kym sighed, flopping down in a nearby chair. "I'm not that popular, either."  
  
"You're kidding me! You?" Buffy echoed. She was shocked. Kym had always been her idol while growing up. She was absolutely gorgeous and every girl had wanted to be her, Buffy included. Her long, dark hair fell in a mass of ringlets that framed her face. Her dark green eyes sparkled under thick eyelashes. Kym stood tall at 5'9", but her body was toned and muscular from years of dance and cheerleading. Buffy had always been insanely jealous of Kym. She made it look so easy.  
  
"I'm not very popular in Baton Rouge, either," Kym admitted with a frown. "I believe the term was 'too Valley Girl.'"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy wondered out loud.  
  
"I don't know, Buffy," Kym replied. "Things are just so different there. They talk different, like different things, everything. I just don't belong there. I am and will always be a California girl, I guess."  
  
"Yeah," Buffy agreed before lapsing into silence. They sat there together, lost in thought. Buffy was the first to break it. "Do you have friends in Louisiana?" she asked.  
  
"A couple," Kym answered. "You? In Sunnydale, that is?"  
  
Buffy smiled as she thought of her friends. They may not be the coolest bunch around, but it didn't matter to Buffy. Not anymore. "I've got a few."  
  
"Boyfriend?"  
  
Buffy blushed, "Yeah."  
  
Kym laughed. "I knew it. Buffy Summers is in love. Come on girl, I want details. Spill already!"  
  
"Details, huh?" Buffy chuckled. "Well, get ready because I'm afraid that once I start talking about Xander, I'm never gonna stop."  
  
"Xander?" Kym raised an eyebrow. "Interesting name." She waited a few seconds while Buffy sat in silence. "Well," she prompted. "You know I'm not the most patient person in the world. Are you going to tell me about Mr. Makes-You-Blush, or am I just going to have to guess?"  
  
"You could try guessing," Buffy challenged.  
  
"Okay," Kym thought for a moment. "Is he tall, dark, and handsome?"  
  
Buffy grinned, "Yes, yes, and um…yes."  
  
"Great personality? Sense of humor?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
The brunette pursed her lips. "So, do you have a picture of Mr. GQ?"  
  
"Yep," Buffy replied, digging into her purse for the wallet. Finding it, she pulled out a photograph. The picture had been taken two weeks ago at the beach. The day was crystal clear and Xander had planned a magnificent picnic, with Joyce's help, of course. Xander had his arms around Buffy, lifting her off the ground. They were both laughing. Xander had gotten a random beachgoer to snap the photo. Buffy loved this picture. They both looked so happy and relaxed.  
  
Kym took the picture from Buffy and looked closely at it. Her smile faltered a bit, "I'm sure he's a great person."  
  
Buffy frowned as she placed the photo back in her wallet. She remained silent, trying to decipher Kym's reaction. Kym noticed Buffy's disappointment and quickly changed the topic, though only slightly. "So, how did you and Xander meet?"  
  
Buffy's face lit up as she thought happier thoughts. "Xander was the first person I met at Sunnydale High. He literally fell for me at first sight," she laughed. The blond noticed her friend's confused look and continued her story. "See, Xander was riding his skateboard and then he ran into a railing. I like to think he was blinded by my stunning beauty and didn't see the railing."  
  
Kym snickered. Buffy decided to ignore her and kept talking. "Xander quickly became one of my best friends. Xander and Willow, both. Xander and Willow have been best friends forever and then I came along. They both took me in and shared their lives with me. I couldn't ask for better friends."  
  
"What happened to change your relationship with Xander?" Kym was a little bit jealous. She had struggled to make a single friend in Louisiana but Buffy had only taken one day to make two.  
  
"He saved my life," Buffy said.  
  
"No really," Kym laughed. Then she realized Buffy wasn't joining in her chuckles. "You're serious aren't you?" Buffy nodded. "How?"  
  
"I drowned," Buffy said simply. "If he hadn't known CPR, I would have died."  
  
Kym frowned, "Wow! I guess that is enough reason to make anyone love a person."  
  
"Well, that's not the only reason, but it was a major turning point for us," Buffy hinted at more.  
  
"What other reason is there?"  
  
The blond remained silent, trying to decide whether she should tell Kym about her dream or not. She really didn't know her that well anymore. But then again, that could be a plus. If Kym thought Buffy was crazy, did it really matter? Buffy decided it didn't. Besides, Kym was just so easy to talk to; it was almost like talking to herself. "I had this dream. Well, sort of. You know how people say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes?" Kym nodded so Buffy continued. "Well, I saw my future. There were two different versions, one where I chose Xander and one where I chose someone else. When he revived me, I just knew Xander was the right choice."  
  
"There was someone else?" Kym asked. "I mean, why else would you have to choose?"  
  
"There was someone else," Buffy confirmed. "His name is Angel."  
  
"Angel?" Kym rolled her eyes. "Doesn't anyone in Sunnyville have normal names? He's not in a gang or anything like that, is he?"  
  
"No, it was a nickname that just sort of stuck with him," Buffy explained. "Angel is, well, he's difficult to describe. He's the type I always went for before: tall, dark beyond description, mysterious, and brooding."  
  
"Sounds gorgeous," the brunette purred.  
  
"He is," Buffy admitted. "But he wasn't the one for me. Our romance would never have lasted. Too much tragedy for me. I'm happy with Xander. He won't leave me. I want to be happy."  
  
"And this Angel would have left you?"   
  
"Yes, and then it would have been followed by other ill-fated flings. I just can't handle that."  
  
"So what exactly happened in this dream that made you choose Xander?" Kym was confused.   
  
"That's the funny thing," Buffy replied, wrinkling her nose. "I don't remember much about it. At first, I could remember everything. Every day, the memories fade even more. I wrote things down, but I don't know if that matters. The only thing that remains strong is my love for Xander. He's THE one."  
  
"Interesting," Kym said, glancing down at her watch. "I hate to say it, but I've gotta run for now. Are you in town long?"  
  
"All summer," Buffy told her standing up.  
  
"Great!" the other girl smiled. "Wanna go check out some of the old hang-outs tonight? I'm here all summer, too."  
  
Buffy smiled. "That sounds like fun. I haven't done any real clubbing in forever. We only have one club in Sunnydale."  
  
"Oh you poor, poor girl," Kym cooed, writing something on a piece of paper. When she finished, she handed the slip to Buffy. "Here's my address and phone number. Now what's yours?" Buffy rattled off her father's unfamiliar address as Kym copied it down. "Cool, you're only, like, five blocks away. Normally, I'd drive, but my car's in the shop. So I guess we'll just have to stick close to home. That is, unless you have a car…"  
  
Buffy shook her head vigorously. "Me?" she squeaked. "No way! Me and cars don't mix!"  
  
Kym laughed. "Okay then, walking it is. Do you want to meet me at my place? Say around 9:30?"   
  
"Sounds good to me," Buffy agreed. The two then headed towards the parking lot, chatting about every inane subject that came to mind. Buffy was looking forward to tonight and the possibility of having a good time. But first, she wanted to talk to Xander. 


	3. Phones and Fiends

"So, you're going to a club tonight?" Xander's voice was slightly muffled through the phone receiver.   
  
"Probably more than one, knowing Kym," Buffy replied.   
  
"And you knew this Kym from school?" Xander asked. "I thought you didn't talk to any of your old friends anymore."  
  
Leave it to Xander to be blunt. "Well, Kym moved before the whole Slayer thing happened. So she doesn't know I was the one responsible for burning down the gym."  
  
"How lucky for you, you cute little pyro you." Buffy could hear Willow making gagging noises in the background and couldn't help but smile. At first, she had been worried that Willow was going to hate her. Buffy had known Willow liked Xander, but she couldn't deny her own attraction. Buffy could remember parts of her dream and she knew Willow would get over it. She would be happy. Willow had surprised both Buffy and Xander by being happy for them. They could tell her heart was breaking, but she was happy for them in the end. Isn't that what a true friend does? Deal with the pain in private while wanting to be happy for your friends. Buffy felt horrible, but she had to make that choice. She knew she was destined to be with Xander.   
  
"Let me talk to Wills," she commanded.  
  
"What? I'm no longer good enough for you?" Xander feigned surprise.  
  
"No. I'm sorry, Xander, there's something I need to tell you," Buffy paused. "I've decided to come out of the closet."  
  
Xander was silent for a moment. "You're joking, right. Because if you're not then maybe you, me, and Wills…"  
  
"Xander!" Buffy interrupted. "If you're getting ready to suggest a threesome, you'd better stoop right there or else I'm gonna have to hurt you."   
  
"I was going to suggest we hit the gay bars to find you a lady friend, but now that you mentioned it…" Xander laughed. "Geez Buffy, you're such a pervert!"  
  
"Xand," Buffy growled.  
  
"Now, now, Buffy," Xander said. "You know you're still my girl."  
  
"That's better," Buffy said with a smile. "Now put Willow on the phone."  
  
The Slayer could hear her boyfriend grumbling as he handed the phone over to their friend. The redhead got on the phone. "Hey Buffy," she said with a laugh.  
  
"Did he just call me a hussy?" Buffy asked, shocked.  
  
"Something like that," Willow admitted. "Oh! But don't worry, I'm sure he didn't mean it."  
  
Buffy giggled. "Relax Will, I know he wasn't being serious."  
  
"Oh," Willow said. Changing the subject, she continued, "So, you're going out tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, I ran into an old friend at the mall and we decided to hit the clubs tonight," Buffy explained.  
  
"Sounds like fun," Willow sighed, wistfully.  
  
"I hope so," Buffy told her. "I just wanna have a good time so maybe I won't miss you guys so much."  
  
"Is it bad?" Willow asked.  
  
Buffy understood the question. "It's worse sometimes than other times. Will, it's like I'm missing a big part of myself. I didn't know I could hurt this bad. It hasn't even been that long."  
  
"Well, it'll get better."  
  
"Will it really?" Buffy hoped so. "How is he?"  
  
"Same as you," she replied. Then she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Buffy, he's lost without you. He sits around and acts all depressed and stuff. Frankly, I'm worried."  
  
"I wouldn't worry, Will, I'm sure he'll be fine," Buffy said, trying to convince herself. "We just have to adjust. We've survived the past three weeks. We can get through the next few."  
  
"How long before you come home?" Willow asked her friend.  
  
"Six weeks, two days, five hours," Buffy rattled off. "But who's counting?"  
  
"Yeah, who's counting?" Willow mimicked. "Oh, Giles wants to talk to you."  
  
"Hello, Buffy?" Giles' voice came over the line.   
  
"Giles," Buffy said. "What are you doing at my house?"  
  
"Er, I thought I might joint your mother for a cup of…" Giles began before losing his train of thought. "Oh forget it! I knew you'd be calling tonight and I wanted to talk to you."  
  
Buffy could hear the muffled cough in the background that sounded vaguely like Xander saying "Liar." "Aw, Giles, do you miss me?" she teased.  
  
"Have you been keeping up with your training?"  
  
Buffy groaned. "Once a Watcher, always a watcher," she muttered.   
  
"Buffy, must I remind you that it is your sacred duty…"  
  
"Giles," Buffy interrupted. "I know. I plan to start training again tomorrow. Or the next day. It's not like I have anyone to train with though. It's kinda boring by myself."  
  
"I know it must be tough for you," Giles said as Buffy rolled her eyes. "You must realize that your training is essential and taking a vacation…"  
  
"I did not 'take a vacation,'" Buffy said through gritted teeth. "I got shipped off. It's not like I want to be here. I miss my dad, but he's never here. So why couldn't I just stay in Sunnydale?"  
  
"Buffy, I just meant," Giles tried again.  
  
"I know," Buffy apologized. "I'm sorry, Giles, but it's been a rough week. I promise I'll train tomorrow." She sighed. "Happy?"  
  
"Ecstatic," Giles dryly replied.  
  
"Good," Buffy commented. "Now put Xander back on the phone."  
  
There was a few moments of silence before Xander's familiar voice sounded in Buffy's ear, "Pushy, pushy."   
  
"Tell Giles I'm sorry for snapping at him, okay?" Buffy told her boyfriend.   
  
"I can do that," he replied. "Anything else, my fair Buffy?"  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that I miss you," the blond replied.  
  
"I miss you, too." Xander told her. "And Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah Xand?"  
  
"Leave the boys at the clubs."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Buffy frowned as she made her way along the sidewalks towards Kym's place. Buffy shivered involuntarily as she passed the cemetery. she thought as she remembered that first night with Merrick. Somehow, she had ended up at the cemetery after cheerleading practice with this crazy old man. He had told her to sit next to a grave and wait.  
  
Buffy would never forget his name. Robert was the first vampire Buffy had ever seen. He rose and Merrick tried to stake him, but his efforts failed. Buffy could still hear Merrick's voice calling to her that night.   
  
Buffy had wanted to help him, but another vampire had grabbed her from behind. Buffy struggled against the female vamp while Merrick fought with Robert. Robert had the upper hand and was leaning in for a taste when Buffy shoved the stake into his unbeating heart from behind. Merrick had tossed her a stake and she quickly turned and dusted the female. One, two. Just like that.   
  
That night led to many more with Merrick. They trained together and he taught her a lot. He had seemed a bit stuffy at first, a lot like Giles, but had lightened up a lot. At least, he was lightening up right before he…  
  
Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes as she continued down the road. It still hurt to think of Merrick. He may have died, but it wasn't until after she had grown to care for him. After Merrick was murdered, Buffy promised herself that she would never allow herself to grow close to another person. It simply hurt too much. Being involved with a Slayer was too risky. A day didn't go by that Buffy didn't fear for the lives of her friends and family, but she was too weak to push them away. She needed companionship too much. She wouldn't, make that couldn't, give up the people that meant the most to her.  
  
Lost in thought, Buffy almost didn't hear the twig that snapped a few feet behind her. She tensed up as her Slayer senses kicked into full gear. She could sense someone following her but could not tell if it was human or other. Buffy knelt down, as if to tying her shoe. Instead, she grabbed the stake she always had nestled inside her purse.   
  
Buffy didn't have to wait long. She could hear the figure draw closer, its footsteps barely above a whisper. When it was right behind her, Buffy sprung up and swung around, launching a vicious backhand.  
  
Startled, the vampire slipped into his demon visage. Buffy kicked out with her right foot and slammed it into the creature's chest, knocking him backwards. The vampire snarled in anger and charged, tackling her and sending her stake flying.  
  
"Great! Football player," Buffy grumbled. She used her feet to push the demon off of her with ease despite his two hundred plus pounds. He flew back and Buffy used her own momentum to flip back to her feet.  
  
The Slayer glanced around for her stake. She saw it lying a few feet away, right inside the entrance to the graveyard. She scanned the surrounding area. There were a few trees, but they were either too far away or they had no branches close to the ground.   
  
Buffy ran at the vamp and faked left before running to the right. He predicted her maneuver and intercepted her with a right hook, followed by an uppercut that knocked her head back and caused her teeth to rattle.  
  
"You're not going anywhere," the monster growled. He flashed a cruel grin.  
  
"Wanna bet?" the blond retorted. She kicked high and her boot connected with his jaw. Before she could bring her leg down, the vampire grabbed her heel and flipped her over backwards. Buffy landed in a crouched position. Thinking quick, she did a back handspring, pushing off a headstone for extra momentum. Turning, she proceeded to do a cartwheel over her stake, grabbing a hold of it as her hand touched the smooth wood. Once upright again, she twisted and flung the wooden stake at her target. It almost whistled as it soared through the air and struck the demon in the center of its heart. With a scream, the creature dissolved into nothing more than a pile of ash.  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Buffy cried. "Touchdown! Score now is Slayer, six; Vamps, zero, zilch, na…da," Buffy's voice faded as she turned full circle, noticing the advancing figures. There were at least ten, if not more.  
  
One vampire drew closer, apparently the leader of the group. "Slayer," he hissed. "We knew you'd be back. Welcome home." 


	4. A New Fight

"Hey!" Buffy placed her hands on her hips. "If I knew there was going to be a party, I'd have brought dip."  
  
The vampire stared at the Slayer, unsure of how to react to the blonde's comment. Glancing around at his followers, Buffy noticed the light bulb go on.   
  
"We've been waiting for you," he told her.  
  
"Well, I'm here," Buffy replied. "So, are we gonna fight or what? I mean, small talk is nice and all, but I've kinda got plans."  
  
The demon laughed as his face changed back to his human mask. "We're not here to fight you."  
  
It was Buffy's turn to be confused. "Then why are you here?"  
  
"I already told you. We're here to welcome you," he replied. "And to ensure that you are ready."  
  
"Ready for what?"  
  
"For the change," he smiled, an evil twist of his lips. "You will be our greatest warrior."  
  
"Your warrior?" Buffy scoffed. "Sorry, but I'm not joining the ranks of local bloodsuckers any time soon. Actually, try never."  
  
The vampire cackled and Buffy's blood ran cold at the sound. But even worse, her senses were telling her that there was something else in the cemetery. Something felt, but not seen. A darkness, an evil, that pervaded her senses and made the Slayer tremble in fear. Then Buffy heard it, a voice that seemed to surround her, invading her mind from all directions. "You will not be a lowly vampire, silly mortal. You are destined for something greater." Buffy turned her head around, trying to find the source of the voice. "Yes, you are ready. In fact, the change has already begun."  
  
The vampires all grinned and began to back away, disappearing in the darkness. The leader took one last look at Buffy. "Soon, Slayer," he said. "Soon." Then he, too, faded into the night's oblivion.  
  
Buffy remained standing there in the middle of the graveyard in stunned silence. What did that mean? Something greater? Their warrior? With a frustrated cry, the Slayer raced out of the cemetery and took off down the street, back to her father's apartment.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(three hours later)  
  
  
  
"Hello?" Willow's voice was groggy from being woke up.   
  
"Willow? Please tell me Xander's there!" Buffy's voice was tinged with desperation.  
  
"Um, okay. Xander's here," Willow replied, double-checking the floor next to her bed. "Yup, he's here."  
  
"Let me talk to him," Buffy sounded urgent.  
  
"Hang on." Buffy heard Willow set the phone down. There were a couple of soft thwacks followed by deeper groans. "Xander?" Willow's voice was muffled in the background. "Buffy's on the phone."  
  
There was a loud crash as Xander scrambled to the phone and then his warm voice answered. "Buffy! Well, the clubs must not have been hopping because, well, it's not even 1 and you're already back and…" Xander stopped talking when he heard Buffy's soft sobs. "Buff, what's wrong?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "I had a fight with this vampire today," she started.  
  
"So, what's new about that?" he asked, perplexed.  
  
"Xander," Buffy admonished.  
  
"Sorry," Xander offered a sheepish grin, but realized that Buffy couldn't see it. "Shutting up now."  
  
"It wasn't the vampire that creeped me out," Buffy explained. "It was the voice I heard."  
  
"The vampire's voice?" Xander had no clue what Buffy was talking about.  
  
"No, not the vampire's voice, another voice," The Slayer was getting frustrated. "Why don't I start over?"  
  
"Okay, if you insist," Xander replied.  
  
His girlfriend took a deep breath and started from the beginning. She told him about the first vampire and then the gang of demons. Last, she told him about the voice she heard. "It was really creepy," she admitted. "It felt like this…whatever…could see right through me. I get the chills just thinking about it."  
  
"What were you doing out walking by yourself?" Xander asked.   
  
"Kym's car is in the shop," Buffy replied, aggravated with her boyfriend's train of thought. "Besides, I walk alone all of the time."  
  
"But this is Sunnydale," Xander reminded her. "You're in LA right now."  
  
"And I can still take care of myself," Buffy grumbled.  
  
Xander sighed, "I know you can, Buff. I just worry about you." Buffy couldn't help but smile a bit at his comment. "So, you said the vampires just backed away?"  
  
That made Buffy feel a little better. "They disappeared without throwing so much as a punch. It was kinda annoying."  
  
"How many were there?" Xander asked.  
  
"I don't know exactly," she paused, recalling the face-off. "I'd say there were probably ten or fifteen." There was silence on the other end. "Xander?"  
  
"Sorry," Xander apologized. "Just taking notes for Giles. And what did this voice say? I'm gonna get you and your little dog, too?"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Not exactly, but close. Insert boyfriend for dog."  
  
"I'm gonna get…hey!" the boy objected. "I am not little!"  
  
"Oh really?" Buffy commented, trying to sound innocent.   
  
"Yeah, far from it," he lowered his voice seductively. "Want me to prove it."  
  
"Yeah, I do," Buffy sighed. "I miss you Xand."  
  
She heard him echo her sigh with one of his own. "I miss you, too, Buff."  
  
"It said that I was going to be their greatest warrior, but not a vampire," Buffy recalled, moving the conversation back on track. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Xand? It said I was already changing."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I don't know," Buffy admitted, fear of the unknown creeping into her voice. It didn't escape Xander's notice.  
  
"Buffy, I know what Giles would say, so I'm just gonna say it," Xander told her. "It is your sworn duty to fight the demons, so you should train. Train, train, and train some more. Then worry."  
  
Buffy laughed. "Sounds like Giles. Except he would be all British and he likes to use big words."  
  
"Yeah," her boyfriend agreed.  
  
"So, what would you say?"  
  
"Honestly?" Without waiting for a response, he continued, "I don't like you being in LA. Not only because you're not with me, but also because you don't have anyone to help you. I want you to come home."  
  
"I can't" Buffy cried. "No matter how much I want to, I have to stay at my dad's."  
  
"Fine," he grumbled. "Then I'm coming to you. One way or another, I'll get there."  
  
"I hope you can," Buffy replied, meaning every word. She always felt better with Xander around.  
  
"Just give me a week," he promised her.  
  
"I'm going to hold you to that," and with that, Buffy hung up the phone. 


	5. Forgotten Appointments

Buffy lay on the couch, feeling lost and alone. She loved talking to Xander, but every time they hung up the phone, she felt more confused. Now, she also had to deal with this new threat. Last night, she had been scared. She got the chills just thinking about the voice. A voice isn't anything to be afraid of, but she has no clue what to be looking for. She just hoped that it wasn't scarier than what she pictured in her mind.  
  
Xander had told Giles everything. Her Watcher was researching the new enemy now and promised to get back to her as soon as he knew anything. "Hurry up, Giles," Buffy grumbled. She hated not knowing what she was up against.  
  
Buffy's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Just a minute!" she hollered, rolling off of the couch and standing up.  
  
The knock came again. "I said I'm coming," the Slayer muttered. Reaching the door, she yanked it open before the offensive sound could be repeated.  
  
The door opened to reveal Kym. The raven-haired beauty stood there, her eyes traveling from the top of Buffy's blond mane all the way down to her perfectly manicured toes. "No broken bones that I can see," she said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"What? No, I'm fine, I just…" Buffy replied, moving aside to let the girl in. "Ohmygod! We were supposed to go out last night!"  
  
"Nice to see you remembered me," Kym commented dryly, entering the small apartment. "I've never been stood up before."  
  
"I'm so sorry," Buffy told her friend as her mind raced to find an excuse.  
  
"You could have called, at least," Kym whined, running her hand along the oak entertainment center.  
  
"I know," Buffy said. "I got mugged."  
  
Kym stopped and stared at her. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you serious?"  
  
Buffy hung her head. She hated the fact that she had to lie. Back home, her friends knew the truth about her and there were no secrets. But here, things were different. "Yeah," she mumbled.  
  
Kym's attitude and demeanor did a complete 180. "Buffy," she cooed. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, they just startled me."  
  
"They?" came the confused reply. "You were mugged by a gang or something?"  
  
Buffy realized her mistake and quickly moved to fix it. "They? Did I say they?" Kym nodded. "It was actually just one guy. One big, scary guy."  
  
"Did you call the cops?" Kym asked, concerned.  
  
"No," Buffy replied. She could feel the heat from Kym's stare. "I didn't get a good look at the guy. Besides, they wouldn't have been any help. He was gone before I knew it."  
  
"I guess you're right. You should've called the cops, though," Kym sighed. "I just feel bad now. I really thought you had stood me up."  
  
"Don't feel bad. You didn't know."  
  
"Yeah," Kym grew quiet. "I guess I didn't realize how nice it is just to have a friend."  
  
Buffy could only nod. She understood where Kym was coming from. Being called had nearly ruined her social life. Buffy's friends had dropped her, leaving her alone and angry. Betrayal hurts. Especially when it comes from those you trust.  
  
"I was really looking forward to going out," the brunette sighed. "I haven't been clubbing in ages."  
  
Buffy smiled. "I know what you mean. I miss the scene here. But you know what? We could still go out. It's not like either one of us is leaving town."  
  
"Oh definitely!" Kym laughed.  
  
"Well, how about tonight?"  
  
"No good," Kym commented with a wave of her hand. "My parents are making me spend the weekend with them back in Louisiana," she groaned. "In fact, my plane leaves in two hours."  
  
"Okay, so one of us is leaving town. When do you get back?" the blond asked.  
  
"Late Monday night."  
  
Buffy pursed her lips, deep in thought. "Well, we could go out Tuesday night."  
  
"I don't know," Kym thought over the suggestion. "Let me check my schedule." She placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes a bit. "Lucky you! Looks like I'm free."  
  
"Do I need to be penciled in?" Buffy asked with a smirk.  
  
"Nah, I think I can remember it," Kym smiled. "And I got my car back, so I'll pick you up."  
  
"Great!" Buffy said before falling quiet.  
  
Kym noticed Buffy's silence. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Well, if you're not gonna be here," Buffy began.  
  
"Yeah?" the dark-haired girl saw a small grin play at the other girl's lips. "What are you planning?"  
  
"Moi?" Buffy batted her eyes in mock innocence. Then she dropped the pretense and spoke seriously. "Dad is on a business trip. Maybe I can go see Xander or something."  
  
Kym's eyes flashed with understanding. "Have you asked your parents?"  
  
"Well, no," Buffy started. "But…"  
  
"How would you get there?" the brunette interrupted.  
  
"My mom would have to…"  
  
"Buffy," Kym sighed audibly. "I'm not trying to ruin your plans or anything, but let's be serious here." Buffy raised an eyebrow and Kym continued. "Do you really think it would be fair to have your mother drive down here to pick you up and then bring you back a few days later. That's a lot of miles for only a weekend."  
  
The blond frowned. She hadn't really thought this through. To be honest, it was only wishful thinking. "I guess you're right."  
  
Kym looked at her petite friend. "You miss him, don't you?"  
  
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, I really do." She thought for a moment. "It's hard to explain, really."  
  
"Buffy, you're not the first person who has had to deal with a long-distance relationship," Kym pointed out.  
  
Buffy sighed. "I know, but we haven't been apart since I drowned. I feel sorta empty when he's not there, kinda like a part of me is missing. The longer we're apart, the further away he seems."  
  
"I wish I could say I understand, but I don't," Kym admitted. "None of my relationships ever came close to what it seems you have."  
  
"I'm probably not explaining it very well, either. I don't really know how, though. It confused me, too."  
  
"Yeah," Kym nodded. She glanced at her watch. "Ugh! I gotta jet. I have to be at the airport in half an hour." The brunette rushed toward the front door. "I'll call you when I get back!"  
  
"Okay," Buffy replied as the door closed once more. She glanced around the dark room. Buffy walked over to the window and pulled open the heavy curtains. The room was immediately bathed in bright sunlight. Buffy closed her eyes and leaned against the heated glass. The warm pane caressed her cheek and Buffy felt content.  
  
Baking in the sun's glow, Buffy thought of the past few months. She could still remember certain occurrences from her dream. She could still recall with perfect clarity the pain her relationship with Angel had caused. Everyone had suffered. When given a second chance, why would she choose pain? Buffy never explained her actions to Angel, she just walked away. She could still feel his eyes on her back as she left the Master's lair. It gave her a small sense of satisfaction. Buffy couldn't say for sure, but she believed deep in her heart that Angel would have left her if she had chosen him. Buffy didn't have a Romeo and Juliet complex, so she left him behind and moved on with her life. Moved on to something better.  
  
Buffy sighed and pulled back, away from the window. The sunlight beckoned to her, teasing her with a carefree attitude. The Slayer yawned and stretched. She was so tired, it felt like she hadn't slept at all last night. Although she wanted to go outside and enjoy the day, she decided it was probably best if she took a nap. Buffy knew she needed to be alert when she went patrolling that night.  
  
"So, sleep it is," Buffy muttered as she made her way down the dark hall toward her bedroom.  
  
The tired girl entered the room and climbed into the inviting bed. She snuggled deep under the covers and shot one last look at the clock on her bedside table. 2:15. Buffy thought as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.  
  
  
  
The shrill sound of the phone pierced the still air. Buffy rolled over and knocked the phone from its resting place. She leaned off the bed and picked up the receiver.  
  
"'lo," the blond grumbled, her voice thick with sleep.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"Xander?" Buffy asked, her mind muddled from being woke up.  
  
"Yes, Xander," the boy sounded confused. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I was just sleeping," Buffy grumbled. She was cranky and was trying, unsuccessfully, to hide it.   
  
"Oh-kay," Xander drawled. He could tell his girlfriend was unhappy, but he couldn't do anything for her now. "You do know it's 9:30, don't you?"  
  
"What?" Buffy asked, her voice echoing her disbelief. She glanced at the red numbers of her alarm clock. "You've gotta be kidding me! I slept all afternoon?"  
  
"Wow, Buff," Xander responded. "You really took the whole 'sleep the day away' thing quite literally. You miss me that much, huh?"  
  
"Shut up," she replied, sitting up. Buffy stretched and felt a slight burn as her muscles lengthened. I must've slept pretty hard  
  
"Are you alright?" her boyfriend asked, his voice laced with concern. "You're not coming down with anything, are you?"  
  
Buffy sighed. "No, I was just tired. I must've needed to sleep more than I thought I did."  
  
"Will you be okay to patrol? Because if not…"  
  
"Look, I said I was fine!" Buffy snapped in irritation. Xander became quiet and Buffy instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I guess I just wasn't completely ready to wake up yet. Besides I miss you so much right now. I'm pretty lonely."  
  
Xander smiled. He could never stay mad at Buffy for long. "You miss me now? Well what about later?"  
  
The blond could tell Xander was teasing her. "Nah, I figure I'll meet Mr. Perfect tomorrow so I'll just miss you today, er, tonight."  
  
"Hey!" Xander exclaimed. "You see Mr. Perfect, you just turn around and walk the other direction!"  
  
"Oh yeah," Buffy challenged. "You gonna make me."  
  
"Yup," Xander confirmed. "I'll kick him from here all the way to next Tuesday if he goes anywhere near my girl."  
  
"And just how do you plan to do that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Why don't I just show you when I get there?"  
  
"Show me when you…" the Slayer's voice trailed off as she realized what he said. "Does that mean?"  
  
"Baby! I'm coming home," the boy cried.  
  
Buffy squealed in excitement. "When? How? When?"  
  
"Whoa, slow down!" Xander laughed. "To answer your questions…Tomorrow…Giles…Tomorrow."  
  
"Tomorrow?" Buffy's voice grew quiet. "Really?"  
  
Xander struggled to contain his own excitement. "Yes, really."  
  
"Why's Giles coming?" Buffy asked. She knew her Watcher hated LA. He wouldn't come unless he had a good reason.  
  
"I don't know," Xander admitted. "Honestly, I don't really care. I get to see you and that's all I need to know."  
  
Buffy took that in. "And you don't know why he's coming?"  
  
"Does it really matter?"  
  
"No, I guess it doesn't." Buffy was wide awake now. "So you'll be here tomorrow?"  
  
"Yup. We should get there late tomorrow night. We have to do the first round of patrol and then I'm on my way," Xander explained.  
  
"Who's covering patrol while you're gone?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Angel's got it covered."  
  
"And how long will you be here?" Buffy felt happier than she had in a long time. Her boyfriend was coming to see her.  
  
"Forever if I have anything to say about it," Xander promised. "Is your dad's offer of the couch still open?"  
  
"Just watch him try to argue with me," Buffy smiled.  
  
"Oh, hey. I gotta run," Xander broke in. "Giles and Wills are here for patrol."  
  
"Okay," Buffy couldn't hide her disappointment. "I guess I should patrol myself."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
Buffy smiled at his reminder. "I'll be waiting impatiently."  
  
"Night Buff," Xander said.  
  
"Night," Buffy replied, moving to hang the receiver up. "Oh, Xand?"  
  
"Hmmmm?"  
  
"Be careful," she warned.  
  
"Always am. You too."  
  
Buffy sighed as she hung up the phone. She was excited about seeing Xander but there was also an overwhelming sense of dread. Not about seeing her boyfriend, but the general feeling that something bad was about to happen. The blond closed her eyes and sensed something nearby. Its very presence permeated the air, the evil so thick it was almost tangible. She could feel it but she didn't have the slightest idea where to start looking for it.  
  
The Slayer stood up and prepared for patrol. Once ready, she said a silent prayer for her safety and the safety of her loved ones. Tightening her grip on the stake resting in the bag slung over her shoulder, Buffy pulled open the door and just hoped she was prepared enough to face the evil that awaited her. 


	6. Buried love

Xander hung up the phone after his talk with Buffy and turned to his best friend. "Something's wrong."  
  
"What do you mean?" Willow asked.  
  
"I don't know exactly," Xander admitted. "Just call it a hunch."  
  
"Well, we're still trying to find out more information on that voice she heard," the redhead reminded.  
  
Xander shook his head. "No, this is something else. She seemed…" the boy struggled to find the right word. "I don't know."  
  
Willow sighed. Xander wasn't giving her much to go on. "What did she say?"  
  
"It wasn't what she said. It was more how she said it."  
  
"And how did she say it?" Willow gently prodded.   
  
"She was sleeping when I called and I woke her up," Xander replied. "She sounded kinda angry. She apologized, but still…"  
  
The young girl began to laugh but quieted when she noticed the look on her friend's face. "Xander," Willow consoled. "You know as well as I do that Buffy is extremely grouchy when she first wakes up."  
  
"Yeah," Xander agreed, but Willow could tell he wasn't convinced. They sat in silence for a moment before Xander spoke again. "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"  
  
Willow smiled at her friend. "No, you're just being a concerned boyfriend," she assured him. "You're just worried because she's there and you're here."  
  
"You're probably right," Xander admitted.  
  
"I'm sure she's fine," Willow said. "Besides, you'll see her tomorrow."  
  
Xander grinned at her reminder. "Yeah, that is I will if Giles' Old Beast can actually make…"  
  
"What about me?" Giles asked the two teenagers as he entered his living room.  
  
"Um, we were just wondering if you've found anything yet," Xander changed the subject and shot Willow a conspiratorial grin.  
  
"I'm afraid not, but we'll keep looking," Giles couldn't look Xander in the eye. The boy could tell the Watcher was hiding something but decided not to press him for details. Yet. "How is Buffy?"  
  
Xander noticed the older man's change of the subject. "She's fine. A bit tired, but that's not unusual."  
  
"And she knows about our arrival?" Giles asked.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Very well, then," Giles said. "Shall we be going?"  
  
"Let's kick some demon booty!" Xander pumped his fist in the air.  
  
Giles looked at the boy as if he had grown a third eye. Willow just laughed and headed towards the door. Once there, she turned back. "You two coming?"  
  
"Right behind ya, Wills," Xander said, following the redhead's lead. "Guess what? I heard that Cordelia…" his voice trailed off as he chased after his friend.  
  
Giles sighed and rubbed his temple. He still had a hard time understanding these teenagers. Giles gave up trying; knowing the mystery of youth these days was nowhere near being solved. He pulled the door closed behind him and followed the two children into the night.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Back in LA, Buffy crept through an empty cemetery in search of a fight. The air was unseasonably cool and the blond regretted leaving her sweatshirt back at the apartment.   
  
"Come on," she mumbled. "I know you're out here somewhere."  
  
Buffy couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. She glanced over her shoulder but saw nothing. The park was empty, void of human life except for her own. But Buffy knew she wasn't alone. She could feel someone's, something's, eyes on her. It watched her every move, almost as if it were sizing her up.  
  
The Slayer tensed. Buffy shrugged off the thought. "Don't be ridiculous, Buffy, it's just your imagination."  
  
"Do you always talk to yourself in the third person?"  
  
Buffy jumped at the deep voice. She swung around and ducked down, ready for an attack. The area behind her was empty. Confused, Buffy looked around. I swear I heard someone  
  
She heard an amused chuckle behind her. Buffy swung around once more. Still nothing. The Slayer released a frustrated sigh. "Ok, I haven't played Hide-And-Seek since I was 10 and I don't feel like reliving my youth here. Are you gonna come out or what?"  
  
"If I remember correctly, tag was always your game," a figure said as it stepped out of the shadows.  
  
Buffy narrowed her eyes at the stranger. A breeze wafted through the cemetery, causing the trees to sway. A splash of moonlight broke through the branches and fell across the newcomer's face. Buffy's breath caught and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Jeffrey?"  
  
The boy's face fell into the wide, easy-going grin Buffy had once loved. "Hey Buffy. Miss me?"  
  
The blond held back, unsure of how to react. Jeffrey had been her boyfriend back when she had first been called to be the Slayer. He had grown distant toward the end of their relationship, when Buffy had more important things to worry about. She could still feel the pain his taking Jennifer to the dance had caused. The pain hadn't been a result of their break-up, though. It was her realization that she and her friends led very shallow lives. Buffy had learned to care about people other than herself and it hurt when she thought about who she once was.  
  
"What?" Jeff pouted. "No hug for an old friend?"  
  
Still Buffy held back. She and Jeff hadn't parted on the best of terms. Seeing him allowed buried memories of her past to resurface. She didn't know how to react.   
  
Buffy gazed at her surroundings. It finally occurred to her that they were standing in the middle of a graveyard. "Why are you here?" she asked, motioning towards the headstones nearby.  
  
Jeff stared at her for a moment before answering. "Summer basketball league. Just on my way home."  
  
Buffy returned his stare with a small smile. "You still the star?"  
  
"I moved," Jeff replied, side-stepping the question.  
  
"I didn't say…" Buffy began.  
  
"You didn't have to," Jeff interrupted. "I know you, Buffy. I could see it on your face."  
  
"You don't know me anymore," Buffy muttered.  
  
Jeff looked hurt. "Don't you trust me anymore?"  
  
"No, I don't," the blond answered honestly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You cheated on me!"  
  
"Well you weren't there for me!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Buffy's voice edged on hysteria. "I was going through a lot in my life. I had too many other things on my mind to worry about being the girlfriend who worshipped the ground you walk on."  
  
Jeff bit back an angry retort. He took a few moments to calm down before responding. He kicked the ground with the toe of his tennis shoe. "You never tried to talk to me."  
  
Buffy's eyes softened. He was right. "I didn't want to burden you with all the details," she explained. "Besides, you wouldn't have understood."  
  
"About your parents?" Jeff looked confused. "Buffy, my parents divorced when I was 14."  
  
"Huh?" It was Buffy's turn to be confused. "Oh yeah, that. I was talking about what happened the night of the dance, though."  
  
"I know you weren't responsible for burning down the gym," Jeff told her. "It was probably those gang's that attacked the school. The board had to blame someone, though. Just don't know why they blamed you."  
  
"Do you really believe that?" Buffy asked her ex-boyfriend, her voice soft with wonder.  
  
Jeff's face registered with shock. "Of course I believe you wouldn't do that. You're too…"  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow as his voice trailed off. "Too what? Too stupid?"  
  
"That's not what I meant," Jeff argued. "I just can't see you burning down a building. You're too sweet."  
  
"Really?" the blond girl shyly dropped her eyes.  
  
"Really," Jeff assured her.   
  
Buffy smiled and rushed forward. Her ex-boyfriend wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a giant bear hug.   
  
They remained like that for a few moments before Buffy finally broke the silence. "Jeff?"  
  
"Yeah Buffy?"  
  
"I hope you enjoyed your last meal," Buffy pulled back and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"What?" The brown-haired boy looked perplexed.  
  
The Slayer offered a wicked grin in response. "Because you're wearing it on your collar."  
  
Jeff's eyes widened and he glance down just as Buffy buried her stake deep into his heart. He gasped mere moments before crumbling into dust.  
  
Buffy turned around, brushing the dust from her bare arms. "Talk about closure," she grumbled.  
  
The young girl inwardly grieved for her lost friend. They hadn't spoken to each other for a year and a half, but Jeff had played a huge role in Buffy's past. But she had known almost instantly that her friend was dead. He had been wearing the shirt that Buffy had given him for his sixteenth birthday. She knew better than anyone that Jeffrey's clothing shelf life was six months or less. She had once been the same way. "Who knew fashion could be so deadly?"  
  
A twig snapped nearby and Buffy glared at the two intruders. Quickly, she sized them up. The vampire on the left was short and stocky, his shaggy blond hair falling over his face. The second hid his ridged forehead under a LA Lakers cap. His tall, gangly form towered over his partner and the Slayer.   
  
"Great, now I have to deal with Mutt and Jeff," Buffy groaned. "Well, let me guess. You're from the summer league, too?"  
  
The tall vamp clucked his tongue and shook his head sadly. "Mistress is not going to be happy," he moaned. "Jeff was her favorite."  
  
"Mistress?" Buffy's lips curled in amusement. "Gee, that's original."  
  
"You mock our lady?" Stocky asked in a fit of anger.  
  
"What are you, medieval or something?" the Slayer taunted. "Yeah, I mock your lady. What are you gonna do about it?"  
  
Stocky snarled and sprung forward. Buffy simply took one step to the left and held her arm out, clotheslining the demon. She smirked at his fallen form before doing a front handspring to bring her closer to Lanky. Taking him by surprise, she swept her leg behind him, knocking him to the ground. Narrowing her eyes at her adversaries, she grinned. "This should be fun."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
"Is anyone else bored?" Xander whined, swinging his legs back and forth as he sat idly atop a tombstone.   
  
Willow sat on the ground a few feet away, engrossed in an old book. "Giles?" she asked, ignoring her best friend.  
  
"Hmmm?" the Watcher responded, turning to face the young girl.   
  
"Never mind," Willow said sadly. "I thought I found something, but I was wrong."  
  
Xander hopped off of his perch and bounded over to the girl. "You sure?"  
  
"Yeah," the redhead sighed. "It's just a short paragraph that mentions an old evil that is released by the death of the Slayer."  
  
"Well, that's the Master," Xander slapped his hands together. "We've both been there and done that."  
  
"I know," Willow shot her friend a pointed stare. "Hence the 'never mind.'"  
  
Xander's shoulders slumped and he dropped down to sit next to the girl. Leaning over, he rested his head on Willow's shoulder and sighed.  
  
Giles glanced over at his two charges, eyebrows etched together in concern. They were only children, yet each night they risked their lives to save the world. For Buffy, it was her sacred duty. These children had no such calling, but here they were. Now they spent hour after hour researching, not knowing what exactly they were looking for. All to save their friend, his Slayer. Giles could tell they needed time to talk.  
  
The Watcher cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the two teenagers. "I'm just going to check out that area over there. I'm fairly certain I heard something."  
  
"Uh-huh, sure," Xander mumbled under his breath.  
  
Willow stifled a small laugh. She glanced up at the older man. "Need any back-up?"  
  
Giles shook his head. "No, I'll be fine," he said, moving off in the direction he had pointed out earlier. The Watcher moved quietly, listening for the slightest movement in the dark. He also kept checking over his shoulder to make sure the students were in his line of sight. Giles wanted to give them time alone (and himself some much-needed quiet time) but their safety was his first priority. It had been quiet since the night of the Master's demise, but as a Watcher, Giles was aware that the quiet was often deceiving.  
  
Xander watched as Giles moved further away, periodically looking back at them. When the Watcher was out of hearing range, Xander turned to Willow. "He knows something."  
  
Willow regarded her best friend. "You think so?" she asked, scrunching her nose.  
  
"Watch him," Xander motioned toward the man in question. "He keeps watching us."  
  
Willow laughed slightly. "What's with the paranoia lately?" Her giggles increased when she saw her friend's shocked expression. She gently touched his knee and explained, "Xand, you didn't think he might just be worried about us? I mean, we are sitting in the middle of a cemetery."  
  
"Yeah, that makes for a great 'What I Did Over Summer Vacation' essay," the dark-haired boy grinned. "I hung out in cemeteries with my best friend and the school librarian."  
  
"Now Alexander," Willow replied, affecting a serious tone. "Your active imagination is best left to creative writing. Now, what did you * really * do over summer vacation?"  
  
"Wow!" Xander stared at the girl beside him in awe. "I forgot how your Ms. Gant impression is." He paused. "Whatever happened to Ms. Gant anyway?"  
  
Willow thought for a moment. "No one knows for sure," she answered. "She disappeared when we were…"  
  
The two teens fell into an uncomfortable silence. "Will?" Xander glanced at his best friend.  
  
"Hmmm?" the redhead responded, staring off into the night.  
  
The young boy sighed and asked, "Do you ever wish that we never found out about demons and vampires and all that?"  
  
"No," Willow spat out. After a few moments, she changed her answer. "Sometimes."  
  
"Yeah, me too."  
  
"I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Buffy had never come to Sunnydale," Willow admitted. "I'd probably be dead now, or worse."  
  
Xander remained quiet for a moment. "I figure it was inevitable. Finding out, that is."  
  
"Why's that?" Willow asked, her curiosity piqued.  
  
"This'll probably sound cheesy…" the boy started.  
  
"Go on," Willow prodded.  
  
"I figure Buffy was destined to come here. You know I never really believed in fate before, but I'm beginning to change my mind. There was always something in my life that seemed empty. I just didn't know what it was until Buffy arrived. She is the missing piece. She is my everything. Yeah, she also brought us into this crazy world of vamps and stuff, but that's ok. She gave me a purpose. Just knowing her would have eventually led us right back to here."  
  
As Willow listened to Xander, her already-fragile heart shattered into a million pieces. She struggled to hold her emotions in check so that Xander would not know her true feelings. She loved her best friend. Willow admitted to herself. But the redhead knew that it was not meant to be. Xander loved Buffy with all of his heart. She'd have to be a fool not to know that. But that knowledge didn't make it hurt any less.  
  
Willow also tried to remove the last traces of jealousy she felt towards Buffy from her psyche. She knew it wasn't Buffy's fault. It seemed that Buffy felt the same way about Xander that he did for her. They deserve happiness together. Willow wasn't going to stand in the way of their joy. But Willow also knew that any lingering resentment could cause a riff in her own relationship with Buffy. Buffy was her best friend. She was like a sister to Willow and the young girl didn't want to break that bond.   
  
The two teenagers were so lost in their own thoughts, they almost didn't hear Giles yelling for them to get up. The Watcher raced closer to them, hollering as he ran. "Xander! Willow! Behind you!"  
  
Xander jumped up and turned around. Four vampires with glowing yellow eyes were drawing nearer to the two teenagers. "Willow! Stake!" Xander hollered to his friend. She quickly reached into her bag and withdrew two stakes, one for Xander and one for herself. Xander hastily grabbed one of the stakes and leapt forward into the fray.   
  
Fists flying, Xander focused on the first vampire. The demon wore a long dark coat much like the one Angel wears. The vampire was ready for the attack, his attention focused solely on Xander. They traded punches, each landing a few here and missing some others there. The other three vampires surrounded the dueling couple. Willow attempted to strike one of the creatures from behind, only to be swatted away like a fly. Her head struck a stone grave marker, disorienting her.   
  
Giles arrived and shoved the smallest vampire away from Xander, breaking the circle that had been formed. The demon stood up and kicked Giles, foot flat against the man's chest. The Watcher stumbled backwards and tripped over his feet, crashing to the ground. "You are of no interest to us," the vampire hissed. "We've come for the boy." 


	7. And he was gone

"You hear that, Giles?" Xander hollered over his shoulder. "They want me, they really want me."  
  
"So I see," Giles replied, struggling to his feet as the vampires closed in on the boy.  
  
"Guys, I'm flattered, really, but…" Xander swung out his left fist and connected with the jaw of the nearest vamp. Startled by the boy's sudden movement, the demon was caught off guard. He stumbled back and tripped over his own feet. Xander wasted no time and pounced on the prone vampire, burying his stake in its heart. "I'm already taken."  
  
"Xander! Behind you!" Willow cried out as she ran toward her friend.  
  
Xander quickly glanced over his shoulder, but Willow's warning had come too late. The vampire's foot smashed into Xander back, sending him sprawling on the ground. The boy flipped over onto his back, barely avoiding contact with the other vampire's boot.  
  
Giles rushed forward to offer his assistance. He grabbed a small vial of holy water from his pocket, uncapped it, and tossed it into the face of the demon nearest to him. The creature howled in pain and rushed off into the night.  
  
"Two down and…" the Watcher muttered as he fumbled around for a weapon.  
  
Willow's scream caught the Englishman's attention. He rushed over to the girl who was struggling against one of the remaining two demons. Giles grabbed the creature's shoulder and flung him back, away from Willow. He turned and slammed his fist into the vampire's face, feeling smug satisfaction as he heard the bones crack. The vampire screamed and reached up, holding his nose as he tried unsuccessfully to back away from the man.   
  
"Willow, stake!" Giles ordered. He then took the wooden object she handed to him and put the demon out of its misery. The Watcher stood up and brushed the dust from his slacks. "That was too easy, almost like it was a…"  
  
Willow noticed Giles concerned look as the man glanced around the cemetery. "A-a what?"  
  
Instead of replying, Giles called out. "Xander! Xander!" The Watcher scoured the nearby area for any movement but came up empty. He looked at Willow, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. "Almost like a suicide mission."  
  
Xander was gone.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Buffy was enjoying herself. She dodged an uppercut thrown by Stocky and laughed. "Come on, is that all you got? Surely you can do better than that!"  
  
Stocky growled and charged at the Slayer. Buffy simply sighed and took a step to the side. She then grabbed his shoulders and using his own momentum, slammed him headfirst into a headstone. "I told you, I'm just too good for you."  
  
Lanky struggled to his feet from his place on the ground where Buffy had tossed him only moments before. He looked unsteady on his feet and the Slayer smiled at him. She wasted no time, punching with her right fist and then twisting around, ramming her left elbow into the vampire's left temple. He winced in pain as Buffy used her foot to knock him to the ground. "Too easy," she smiled. She was about to lunge, driving her stake into the vamp's heart, when she felt herself being hoisted into the air.   
  
Stocky had his arms wrapped around the Slayer, restraining her long enough for the other vampire to back away. Lanky stood up once more. "Let's go!" he ordered his partner.  
  
"What about her?" Stocky motioned to the struggling blond in his grip.   
  
"Leave her!" the smaller vampire commanded. "Mistress will have our heads if anything happens to her, anyway."  
  
"If you say so," the big demon said. He casually tossed Buffy aside and began to follow his fleeing companion.   
  
Buffy flipped to her feet. "Oh no you don't!" she cried, rushing after the vampires. She sped up, easily catching up to the creatures. Using a large stone for added momentum, Buffy flung herself forward, tackling both demons in one fluid motion.  
  
"I got a strike!" Buffy rejoiced, pulling out her stake.   
  
Lanky glanced at Stocky, who shrugged in confusion. They both stared at the Slayer.  
  
"Not baseball, morons," Buffy rolled her eyes. "We're talking about bowling here. Get your sports straight." She paused. "Oh yeah, too late!" The Slayer whipped out a second stake and dropped to the ground, dusting both vampires in one quick movement.  
  
She stood up and brushed the dust from her legs. Smiling, she began to walk through the cemetery, heading for home. "Hope you're having as much fun as I am, Xand," she commented and she danced around the headstones.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Xander felt as if he had been hit over the head with a hammer. he thought as he struggled into a seated position. He glanced around at his surroundings, noting the unfamiliar furniture.   
  
"You're awake," a voice called from his left. "Good."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes as he looked over at the room's other occupant. "Where am I, Deadboy, and why am I here?" 


	8. The Tides Have Turned

"Don't call me Deadboy," Angel growled, keeping his voice low.  
  
"You didn't answer my question, Overbite," Xander glared at the vampire. "Where are we? And why are you whispering?"  
  
Angel tilted his head to the side and raised a finger to his lips, motioning for Xander to remain silent. The boy raised his eyebrows, anger and curiosity etched on his features. The vampire listened a moment before turning back to his companion.  
  
"Bronze's basement."  
  
Xander shook his head. "Here we go with the cryptic guy routine," he muttered.  
  
Angel glared at the boy. "I heard that."  
  
"Whoop-de-do!"  
  
"I should have just let them drag you away," Angel glowered, glancing around the open space.   
  
Xander flopped down on a ratty old couch and sighed. "What are you talking about? Who are 'they?'"  
  
"What is this, Twenty Questions?"  
  
Xander held his hand to his chest and pretended to be shocked. "Was that a joke?"  
  
"I don't make jokes. This is serious," Angel stared at Xander.  
  
"That's a shocker," the boy replied. "Look, I just want to know what is going on here."  
  
"I was patrolling when I saw three vampires dragging you away from the cemetery. I dusted them and pulled you down here. Now we're waiting until the coast is clear."  
  
"That explains why my head hurts," Xander mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. He could feel a lump beginning to form. "Why?"  
  
"Why what?" Angel turned back, confused.  
  
"Why'd you save me?"  
  
"Let's see, how can I say this clearly?" Angel commented in a way that was vaguely familiar to the boy. "I don't like you. At the end of the day, I pretty much think you're an idiot. But Buffy's got this big ole yen for you. And for the life of me…"  
  
"Don't you mean unlife?" Xander interrupted. He narrowed his eyes at the room's co-occupant. "And come up with your own lines."  
  
"I obviously made the wrong choice by saving you," Angel glared back at the dark-haired boy. He didn't understand how Buffy could choose this…this child…over him. Things had been going so well. Sure, he was well over two hundred years older than her. But he loved her and he thought that she had loved him, too. But then Buffy had died and everything had changed. Xander brought her back to life when Angel couldn't. And how did Buffy repay him? She kissed him, leaving Angel to witness it all. From that moment on, all of Buffy's soft looks and tender touches belonged to Xander and Xander alone. The Slayer had tried to explain what had happened to the vampire, but her reasons had fallen on deaf ears. Angel just didn't get it.  
  
Xander sighed and stood up, "Well, if we're done with the glaring here…" he said as he made his way to the door.  
  
"Wait," Angel commanded. Xander stopped and turned around. "There's something out there."  
  
Xander glanced around the room. Straining his ears, he listened for any sound. "I don't hear anything."  
  
"It's not making any noise," Angel explained.  
  
"Then how…"  
  
"I just feel it. Something is out there and it's beckoning to me. Calling something deep inside."  
  
Xander backed away slightly. "You're not gonna get all ugly on me, are you?"  
  
The vampire glared at him. "Just sit and stay for a while," he ordered.  
  
"Whatever," the boy dropped back down on the couch. "Hey Angel?"  
  
"And be quiet," Angel snapped.  
  
Xander smirked, knowing he had scored a small victory. "Ain't gonna happen, Deadboy!"  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Giles shut the door behind him, the click echoing in his mind. Willow sat on the couch, her eyes red and puffy from her tears. Together, they had searched the entire town, finding nothing. No vampires, no demons, and no Xander either.  
  
Willow stared straight ahead, her body numb with exhaustion. She didn't want to think about what could have happened to her best friend. The redhead turned to the Watcher. "Giles?"  
  
"Hmmm?" The man turned to the young girl, startled from his own thoughts.  
  
"Is Xander okay?"  
  
Giles inwardly winced at the quiet pleading in her voice. He saw no reason to dash her hopes, at least not yet. "I'm sure he's fine."  
  
Willow could tell Giles was just trying to make her feel better, but it still helped to hear him say that out loud. She felt like she was barely holding onto her sanity. At the moment, she didn't know if Xander was dead or alive. And to make matters worse, her other best friend was being stalked by an unknown entity. The Slayer was currently on her own. Willow inhaled sharply. "What are we going to tell Buffy?"  
  
Giles stopped and pondered her question. "We can't let Buffy know anything just yet," he announced. "We must wait until we know more."  
  
The redhead nodded. There was no sense in worrying Buffy when she couldn't do anything to help anyway. Not unless there was something to worry about. Willow jumped as the phone rang. She cast a nervous glance at Giles. This late, er, early in the morning, it could only by one person.  
  
"H-hello," Giles spoke into the receiver. "Uh, Buffy, how was patrol?"  
  
"Patrol was fine, Giles. Is Xander there?" the Slayer asked.  
  
"Xander? No, he went home to, uh, p-pack some things for tonight."  
  
Willow offered Giles a weak smile for his quick thinking.  
  
"Oh, he did? I just wanted to talk to him."  
  
"Well, I could always relay a message to him. Or you could always just…" Giles voice trailed off when he noticed Willow shaking her head vigorously. He remembered that the girl could not lie to her best friend.   
  
"I could just what?…Giles?" Buffy was growing annoyed with her Watcher's behavior.  
  
"What?" Buffy voice brought Giles back to the present. "Oh, you could a-always talk to him w-when we get there."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I…"   
  
Giles stopped paying attention when movement on the other side of the room caught his eye. The doorknob turned and the door quickly opened to reveal the missing boy.  
  
Willow jumped up when she saw Xander standing in the doorway. She vaulted herself forward into his arms. "Xander! Oh my god! We thought you were dead!"  
  
Xander laughed and pulled back slightly. "Easy, Wills. I'm fine." He looked at the Watcher who was staring at him in shock. "Really," he assured the older man.  
  
"What happened to you?" Willow looked at her friend with a curious stare. Xander looked fine, not a scratch on him. The young girl didn't know whether to hug him and never let him go or be angry that he made her worry for no reason.  
  
"I'll explain later," Xander promised. Before Willow could argue Xander motioned at the phone. "I'm gonna assume that's my girlfriend you have hanging there."  
  
Giles looked at Xander and then at the phone. "What. Oh, by all means." The Watcher handed the phone over to the boy.   
  
"Buffy?" Xander spoke into the phone. "Buff?" Getting no response, he turned to Giles. "How long did you have her waiting?"  
  
"Only a few moments," Giles answered, confused. "Why?"  
  
Xander was already dialing the now familiar number to Buffy's father. "She hung up."   
  
Willow watched as Xander turned away from her, waiting for Buffy to answer the phone. A faint pain shot through her chest, reminding her that Xander was not hers and never would be. She wasn't the first person he thought of anymore. Xander had someone else in his life and she had to learn to deal with it. But nights like this only served as a reminder that they led dangerous lives. Just knowing Buffy was enough to get them killed. Willow feared that Xander's newfound intimacy with the Slayer was the cause of his disappearance earlier.  
  
"Buffy?" Xander spoke into the receiver. "Come on, Buff. It's me, you're lovable cuddle puppy. Buffy? Look, Giles didn't mean to leave you on hold there. I scared him." Xander paused for a few moments. Then he smiled. "Hey baby! You forgive me?"  
  
"I forgive you, of course. But Giles made me mad," Buffy pouted.  
  
Xander turned to the older man. "Lucy, you have some 'splaining to do."   
  
Giles shared an annoyed look with Willow and walked over to his books. Pulling one out, he sat down to do some more research. He knew the phone call could go on for a while.   
  
Willow followed Giles' lead and sat down in one of the armchairs. She tried her best not to listen to Xander's voice spouting all of the words she longed to hear. It was getting easier to do every day, but she still had a ways to go.   
  
"I love you, too. I'll see you tonight," Xander smiled as he began to hang up the phone. With a laugh, he yelled, "I promise, now get some sleep!"   
  
Willow turned when she heard the phone slam into its cradle. She raised her eyebrows and faced her oldest friend. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?" Xander was momentarily confused.   
  
The redhead winced slightly at seeing Xander's excited grin. He was always so happy now. She sighed and turned her focus back to her question. "What happened?"  
  
"Oh yeah, that," Xander hopped over the back of the couch, landing on the cushions with a thump. Giles shot him a look of disapproval, which Xander swiftly disregarded. "Deadboy said he saved me from a bunch of vampires. Guess they were dragging me away."  
  
"Angel was there?" Giles asked, surprised. "And where is he now?"  
  
"Too close to daybreak. Had to jet through the lovely sewer systems. Man that guy travels first class, let me tell you."  
  
Willow interrupted. "That's it? He saved you? Where were you?"  
  
Xander sighed. "He saved me, but I was unconscious. When I came to, we were in the Bronze's basement. I don't know why we stayed there so long. I didn't hear anything, but Angel was acting all weird."  
  
"How so?" Giles inquired.  
  
"Well, he's back to being cryptic guy," Xander mentioned. "Not that he ever stopped." He continued. "He mentioned something trying to summon him. Well, not him exactly, but something deep inside. Possibly Angelus."  
  
Willow paled as Xander thought. "Angelus?" she squeaked. "But that can't happen, can it Giles?"  
  
Giles thought carefully before answering. "Well, I don't believe so. Angel is cursed and as far as I know, there is no escape clause from it. I'll have to do some research."  
  
"Well, you research. I'm gonna go get some sleep," Xander announced. He glanced at his friend. "You coming, Wills?"  
  
"No, I'm just going to…"  
  
Giles interrupted. "Willow. You should go get some sleep. And pack some clothes. You're going to LA with us. We'll leave at dusk."  
  
"But," Willow argued. She needed some time away from Buffy and Xander to help her heart heal. Then she noticed Xander. He stood in front of her with wide, puppy-dog eyes and a pouting lower lip. She smiled. "Why so early? I thought you weren't leaving until after patrol."  
  
"We must wait so I can inform Angel of our plans and he can leave his apartment. But I feel it would be best for us to get to Buffy as soon as possible." Giles explained.  
  
"And I couldn't agree with you more, G-man!" Xander smiled. He turned to Willow. "Can I sleep at your place?"  
  
She returned his smile as they headed toward the door. "Where else would you sleep?" She turned to wave at the Watcher, but he was buried in his book. With a small sigh, Willow pulled the front door closed behind her and followed Xander into the early morning air. 


	9. Two on the Town

The phone's shrill ring pierced the still air. Buffy pulled the pillow tighter around her head, attempting to drown out the intrusion.  
  
Eventually, the ringing stopped. The Slayer sighed, feeling the tension melt away. She sat up and yawned, stretching her tired muscles. Last night had been a workout, but not an unwelcome one. Sunnydale had been quiet since the Master's demise. It felt good to fight again. Buffy hadn't realized how much slaying had become a part of her life until she didn't have much to do in that area.  
  
The phone rang once more, interrupting Buffy's thoughts. Groaning, she reached for the offensive object. "Hello."  
  
"Well, it's about time!"  
  
Buffy's mind raced, trying to place the familiar voice. "Kym?"  
  
"Yes, Kym," the other girl replied. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I just woke up," Buffy answered.   
  
"Do you realize that it's four in the afternoon?" Kym asked, barely concealing her disbelief.  
  
"Oops!" the Slayer laughed. She must've been more tired than she had originally thought. "Well, I had a late night last night," she admitted.  
  
"You went out without me?" Kym sounded slightly upset.  
  
"I couldn't just sit around waiting for you," Buffy argued.  
  
"No matter," Kym brushed off Buffy's excuse. "I say we party now."  
  
"Sure, we could…" Buffy began. "Wait a minute, aren't you…"  
  
"My parents had an 'important business meeting' that sprung up at the last minute," Kym told Buffy, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She dropped her voice, mimicking her father. "'We're sorry, Kym, but we have to go. You could always stay here like you had planned.'"  
  
Buffy felt bad for the girl. "Yeah, I've been there before," she admitted, thinking of her father.  
  
"I told him to go screw himself and I came back here," Kym replied.  
  
"You didn't!" Buffy said, shocked.  
  
"No," Kym admitted. "But I wanted to. Instead, I just asked to come back like a good little girl."  
  
"And now you want to party?" Buffy asked with a smile.  
  
Kym laughed. "Hell yeah! You up for it?"  
  
"Sure, I'm up for it," Buffy agreed. "Oh, but I have to be back by two. Xander's coming."  
  
"Buffy, I thought we…" Kym began.  
  
"Hey, I didn't do it!" Buffy defended herself. "A family friend is coming down and he asked Xander to accompany him."  
  
"OK," Kym sounded thoughtful. "Can you be ready in an hour?"  
  
Buffy thought about it. "Sure. Why?"  
  
"Well, if we have to be back early, we might as well start early."  
  
"I like your logic," Buffy laughed. "You gonna pick me up?"  
  
"You betcha," Kym sounded much happier than she had been when Buffy had first picked up the phone.  
  
The two girls said their good-byes and Buffy hung up the phone. She shook her head slightly at Kym's enthusiasm. the blond thought.   
  
Buffy whistled as she headed for the shower. Just a couple of days ago she had thought her summer was destined to be boring and miserable. But now, things were looking up. Her boyfriend was coming to stay with her and she had rekindled her relationship with an old friend. New evil? So what! Buffy knew she was the Slayer and her life would always be in danger. When Giles and Xander arrived, she would at least have back up. Buffy closed the door behind her and turned on the water. she thought with a smile and climbed into the shower.   
  
  
  
A few streets away, Kym hung up her receiver and let out a string of curses under her breath. "Need a new plan," she muttered to the empty room. She tapped her foot impatiently, glancing around for inspiration. Her eyes lit up as they fell upon the gleaming knife lying on the countertop. "When in doubt, violence usually gets the job done."  
  
She rushed over and wrapped the sharp object in a towel before placing it in her purse. "Plan B," she whispered. "This one had better work," she threatened no one in particular. Kym then grabbed her keys and dashed out the door.  
  
  
  
"Sleeping late makes you sluggish!" Kym laughed as she grabbed Buffy's arm, linking it with her own. Together, they made their way into Georgio's.  
  
"Whatever," Buffy rolled her eyes. She glanced around at the fancy restaurant, oozing with money and elegance. Buffy hadn't been here since she was 14, just before her parents' arguments had grown worse. It had been her mother's birthday so they had come here to celebrate.   
  
The blond blinked quickly to push away the unwanted onslaught of memories. She loved LA, but the city held so much of her past, she found she could not escape it.   
  
Kym glanced at Buffy and tugged slightly on the other girl's arm.  
  
Buffy tossed Kym an apologetic smile. "Sorry, were you saying something?"  
  
"They're ready to seat us now," Kym dropped Buffy's arm and followed the host.  
  
Buffy quickly followed behind the dark-haired girl. They weaved in and out around other patrons before coming to a stop next to an ideal window seat. The host held out the chair for Buffy. She tossed him a quick smile as she slid into the seat.  
  
Kym cleared her throat and the host finally tore his gaze away from Buffy. He rushed over to the other side of the table and held Kym's chair for her. "Thank you!" she huffed.  
  
The host still didn't move. He stared at Buffy once more before quickly looking back at Kym. "What?" Kym raised an eyebrow.  
  
"It's remarkable," the gentleman stated, glancing at Buffy.  
  
Buffy smiled at the man, noticing his heavy Italian accent. "What is?"  
  
"You two," he replied, motioning between the two girls. "Both so beautiful. She is a darker kind of beautiful, but still, it's the same."  
  
Kym noticed the host's gaze linger on the blond across from her and groaned. "My friend here has a boyfriend, Cassanova."  
  
The man glanced at her, confused. "I…" He tried again. "You are not sisters?"  
  
Buffy laughed. "Whatever gave you that idea?"  
  
"You look so much the same," the host struggled to explain.   
  
Buffy looked at Kym, who was working hard to contain her annoyance. Her dark hair was pulled back, showcasing her dark eyes and high cheekbones. She then caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the window. Very California Golden-girl. "Hardly," Buffy sighed wistfully.  
  
The man glanced at Kym's angry face. "So sorry to bother you. Zac will be with you in a moment." He rushed off towards the front.  
  
"Well that was annoying!" Kym muttered, opening her menu.  
  
"I thought he was kind of sweet," Buffy argued while scanning the available selections.  
  
"You have a boyfriend," Kym reminded her.  
  
"And I'm not looking, just said he was sweet." Buffy repeated. She looked closer at the menu. "Kym," she whispered. "I can't afford this."  
  
"Relax hon," Kym replied. "Order whatever you want. It's on the house."  
  
Buffy's head shot up. "How?"  
  
Kym stared at Buffy in shock. "I can't believe you forgot that my dad owns this place."  
  
"Still?" Buffy vaguely remembered the Anderson's expansive empire included Georgio's.   
  
"Yeah," Kym replied. "Dad held on to this one and the other 14 across the country. We moved to Louisiana after Grandpa died so Dad could take over the headquarters."  
  
"Fifteen restaurants?"  
  
"And soon to be twenty-one," Kym sighed. "That's why they had to leave this weekend."  
  
"Hi, my name is Zac and I'll be you're waiter tonight," the tall, skinny boy said, pulling a pad of paper from his apron. His long blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the front of his shirt was peeking out from under the apron.  
  
"You said your name was Zac?" Kym asked him, narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Yes. Can I get you ladies anything to drink?" Zac replied, oblivious to the icy glare Kym was sending his way.  
  
"One moment," Kym held up a hand, signaling to Buffy that she had something to say before they placed their orders. "Zac, you're obviously new here."  
  
"Yeah," the boy shifted uncomfortably under Kym's stare.  
  
"Well let me give you a couple of pointers if you want to keep this job," Kym told the young waiter. "Your shirt must be tucked in at all times and that hair is a disgrace. I expect it cut by the time you come in for your next shift."  
  
"Lady, who do you think you are to tell me…" Zac started angrily.  
  
"I'm the owner's daughter," Kym stated through gritted teeth.   
  
"Oh," the boy fell silent for a moment. "So, can I get you anything to drink?" 


	10. Flirting on the Dancefloor

"That poor boy was terrified of you," Buffy laughed as she and Kym got into Kym's car.   
  
"Well, he should be," Kym replied, turning the key in the ignition. She glanced over her shoulder as she backed out of the parking space. "This restaurant is going to be my graduation present."  
  
"High school?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Are you going to college?" Buffy asked her friend.  
  
"I don't know," Kym admitted. "I've been trained to take over the family business since I was in diapers."  
  
"Have you ever wanted to do anything else?" Buffy asked.   
  
"I never really thought about it. Sometimes, it seems like my future is pretty much set in stone. Why dream about something else? Only makes me want what I cannot have." Kym offered Buffy a wistful smile as she deftly pulled into the parking lot of Zero Tolerance.  
  
Buffy stared at the dark building. "Yeah, I know what you mean."  
  
"How could you?" Kym glanced over at the blond and took the key out of the ignition. "I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, but you lead a pretty easy life."  
  
"Easy?" Buffy was incredulous.  
  
"Well, yeah, you're parents are divorced," Kym admitted. "But you have no idea how hard it is to have no say in your future. I can't argue… Well, I can, but it's just no use."  
  
Buffy opened the car door. Before climbing out of the vehicle, she glanced over her shoulder at the other girl. Buffy realized it was pointless to argue with her. Kym had no idea what kind of pressure Buffy faced every day and it wasn't like she could tell her. Buffy sighed in defeat, "You're probably right."  
  
Kym slammed the door, smiling from her victory. Buffy shut her door and smoothed her skirt. The air pulsed with energy from the people and music inside.   
  
"I've never been here before," Buffy admitted as they made their way toward the building. She eyed the long line with a slight sense of unease. She hadn't been anywhere other than the Bronze for over a year.   
  
"Oh really?" Kym sounded surprised. "It's the greatest. You do have your fake with you, right?"  
  
Buffy came to a dead stop. "You have to be 21?"  
  
"Well, yeah," Kym stared at her. "To drink you have to be 21."  
  
"But I don't drink," Buffy told the other girl. "And I don't even have a fake."  
  
Kym sighed and searched through her small pocketbook. "You don't have to drink," she told Buffy. Pulling out a small object, she handed it to the other girl. "Here, this should work."  
  
Buffy took the id from Kym and stared at it. Her smiling face looked back up at her through the clear plastic. The name read 'Anne B. Sommer' and the birthdate was marked as May 13, 1976. Buffy figured in her head. She stared at Kym, "How?"  
  
"You need to plan ahead, B," Kym smiled. "And always have a back-up plan."   
  
Buffy laughed. "So, what's your back-up plan?"  
  
"You'll see…I plan to use it anyway." Kym smirked and grabbed Buffy's arm. Together, they made their way to the front of the line, pushing others out of the way.  
  
"Excuse me," Kym glared at a small girl with red hair. "You're in my way." Before the girl could argue, Kym nudged her aside and moved even closer to the door. Finally, the two girls reached the bouncer, who was glaring at their approach.  
  
Buffy inhaled sharply as her eyes scanned the massive amount of muscle in front of her.   
  
"Hey sugar," Kym drawled, slipping easily into a thick southern accent. Buffy kept her eyes low, unable to watch as Kym shamelessly hit on the big man. The small blond shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.  
  
"Why thank you, darlin'" Kym smiled at her target. "Will you be joining us, then?"  
  
The bouncer leaned over and whispered something into Kym's ear, eliciting a giggle from the brunette. He reached around her side for the velvet rope, letting his arm brush against her hip. He then held the crowd back as Kym and Buffy slipped through the opening and entered the club.   
  
"That was amazing!" Buffy stared in awe at her friend.  
  
"And we didn't even have to show our Ids," Kym smiled, zipping up her pocketbook. "Yup, I still got it. Come on, let's dance."  
  
"What did he whisper to you?" Buffy asked as they headed out onto the dance floor.  
  
"What?" Kym yelled over the crowd.  
  
"I asked what he whispered!" Buffy repeated, this time louder.   
  
Kym blushed and pulled Buffy close. "He asked if I liked horseback riding."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he had a horse I'd love to ride."  
  
"Now why would he…ohhhhhh," Buffy gasped, then giggled. "That's horrible!"  
  
"Yeah, but he gets points for originality."  
  
"So, what did you say?"  
  
"Not a thing," Kym laughed. "Gotta keep them guessing." Kym twirled through the crowd circling the dance floor.   
  
Buffy quickly followed Kym's lead. She began to move a bit awkwardly in time to the beat. Buffy always felt self-conscious when she first started to dance. But moments later, she closed her eyes and let the rhythm take over. In a matter of seconds, she lost herself in the music.  
  
Buffy had no clue how much time had passed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes shot open and she stared at Kym. "What?" she mouthed.  
  
"That guy over there is totally checking you out," Kym hollered over the pulsing beat.  
  
"What?" Buffy repeated, though she had heard her friend the first time.   
  
Kym nodded her head to the left. Buffy followed her gaze to the man across the dance floor. He looked like he was in his early 20's. Short dark brown hair, broad shoulders, and athletic build. Buffy had to admit the guy wasn't bad looking, she just wasn't interested. The blond turned away without so much as a second glance.  
  
Kym raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Buffy's ear. "Not your type?"  
  
Buffy shook her head.   
  
Kym smirked, "Well, that's just too bad."  
  
"Oh yeah, why?" Buffy asked, confused.  
  
"Because he's on his way over."  
  
Buffy quickly turned around and saw the guy muscling his way over. "No, no, no," she moaned.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kym couldn't understand her friend's annoyance.  
  
Buffy placed her hands on her hips. I have a boyfriend!" she huffed.  
  
"Buffy, I'm sure he just wants an innocent dance. Not like he's going to ask you to marry him," Kym pointed out.  
  
"I guess you're right," Buffy reluctantly agreed.  
  
"And it's a good thing, too, because here he is."  
  
Buffy felt a firm tap on her shoulder as she swayed to the music. She turned to find the guy directly behind her. Facing him, she discovered that he was about 6 foot tall, towering over her tiny frame.  
  
"So, I saw you checking me out over there," he yelled over the din.  
  
Buffy was mildly surprised. He wasn't winning any points with that opening. "Oh really? Was that what I was doing?"  
  
The guy's confidant smile faltered a bit at her tone. Buffy noticed that he seemed a bit nervous under the suave exterior. He leaned in closer to the young girl. Speaking at a normal level, he admitted, "Not really. I'm just not that good with opening lines."  
  
Buffy smiled gently. "My advice, try hello. Can't go wrong with that one."   
  
The guy returned her smile and offered her his hand. "I'm Eric."  
  
"Hi, Eric. I'm Buffy," she accepted his hand. Once she placed her hand in his, Eric bent over and kissed it.  
  
"Buffy, huh?" Eric laughed. "I like that. It somehow suits you."  
  
Buffy decided not to be offended because there was no ill intent in his eyes. "And this is my…" Buffy quickly swung around, noticing that Kym had suddenly disappeared. "Where'd she go?"  
  
"Your friend?" Eric asked and Buffy nodded. "She's over at the bar."  
  
Buffy tried to see through the crowd, but her view was blocked by the mass of bodies. "I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."  
  
"Maybe not."  
  
Before Buffy knew what was happening, she felt a strong pair of hands wrap around her waist and lift her high into the air. After suffering one brief moment of pure terror, Buffy opened her eyes and looked at the bar. Kym sat on one of the stools, flanked on either side by two different guys. She noticed Buffy and waved. Buffy returned the gesture as she felt herself gracefully slide back down to the ground.  
  
"How'd you do that?" Buffy asked her companion.  
  
Eric smiled shyly. "Promise you won't laugh?"  
  
Buffy took a finger and made a criss-cross motion over her heart.  
  
Eric leaned in close, "My mom made me take dance lessons when I was a kid."  
  
"And did those lessons do any good?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm the best," he offered her a cocky smile.  
  
"Oh really?" she raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."  
  
The issue was challenged.  
  
Eric grabbed Buffy's hand and swung her around.  
  
And then it was accepted.  
  
Together, they moved gracefully around the dance floor. Eric flung Buffy around with ease, but she had no trouble keeping up. She, too, had years of dancing experience. And cheerleading. Sure, she was a bit rusty, but it was like riding a bike for her. It felt good, almost like she was flying.  
  
Eric wrapped Buffy up in his arms, holding her close. Their hips swayed slightly, grinding against each other in time to the music. The difference in height was a major factor, but together, they made it work.   
  
They danced that way for quite a few songs before Buffy needed to stop and get something to drink. She tugged on Eric's sleeve and nodded toward the bar. He grabbed her hand and led the way through the crowd.  
  
"I'll have a Budweiser," Eric told the bartender. "How about you?" he asked, turning to Buffy.  
  
"Um," Buffy stalled. "I'll just have a water."  
  
"You sure?" When Buffy nodded, Eric turned back to the bartender. "And a water for the lady here."  
  
With drinks in hand, Buffy and Eric made their way outside to the balcony. Buffy sighed as the night's cool air caressed her hot skin. "Well, you weren't lying."  
  
Eric grinned. "You weren't so bad yourself."  
  
Buffy laughed, "I haven't danced quite like that in a long time."  
  
"Well, maybe we could do it again sometime."  
  
The blond stared at the man in front of her. He seemed to be a great guy and she couldn't deny that she was having fun. But Eric wasn't Xander. "Eric," Buffy began, thinking about her words carefully. "I've had a great time tonight."  
  
Eric looked at her, "Why do I feel a 'but' coming on?"  
  
"But," Buffy exaggerated," I have a boyfriend."  
  
Eric looked momentarily stunned. "Is it serious?"  
  
Buffy nodded. "I love him. In fact, he is supposed to get here tonight."  
  
"Long-distance relationship?" Eric asked, a trace of hope tinged his voice.  
  
"No. We both live in Sunnydale. I'm just here spending the summer with my dad."  
  
"Ah, a product of divorce."  
  
"Yeah," Buffy smiled sadly. "And that leads to my second confession."  
  
Eric looked at her. "You're not 21 yet." Buffy nodded, confirming his guess. "How old are you?"  
  
"Sixteen."  
  
Eric muttered a curse under his breath. "I should have known you were too good to be true."  
  
"I'm really sorry," Buffy mumbled. She felt a stab of guilt when she noticed the pained expression flash in his dark eyes. "I should have told you earlier."  
  
Eric sat in silence for a few moments. He looked down at the petite girl and smiled. "Well, as my mom always says, 'when life hands you lemons…'"  
  
"Make lemonade?" Buffy guessed.  
  
"You got it," Eric laughed. "So, Miss Buffy? Friends?"  
  
"Yeah, how about it Buffy?"  
  
Buffy sighed and slowly turned around. "Don't you guys have anything better to do. You always have to go and ruin perfectly good times for me!"  
  
"Um Buffy, do you know these guys?"  
  
#11  
  
"Yo G-Man! Let's go!"  
  
"I'm almost ready," Giles muttered, pulling on his jacket. "And I've told you repeatedly not to call me that."  
  
"Whatever," Xander replied, dashing out the door. "Come on! My lady awaits!" he hollered over his shoulder.  
  
Giles shook his head and followed the boy's lead. Xander had already loaded the luggage into the trunk and was now waiting impatiently in the car. "Young love," Giles mumbled to himself as he pulled the door shut behind him.  
  
Giles climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Xander immediately leaned over and began flipping through radio stations. Under normal circumstances, Giles would be annoyed with Xander's choice in music. But these were hardly normal circumstances and Giles paid no attention to the ruckus coming from the speakers.  
  
The watcher was worried. His Slayer was in trouble and he wasn't there to help her. Giles wasn't sure if the attack on Xander was pre-meditated or just a fluke, but he wasn't ruling out any possibilities. Not yet, anyway.  
  
"It's bad, isn't it?"  
  
"Hmmm?" Giles was pulled from his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"  
  
"This thing with Buffy," Xander clarified. "It's not of the good, right?"  
  
"With Buffy?" Giles stalled. He knew the boy was worried about his girlfriend and didn't need to be alarmed any further. But the Watcher also knew that Xander was smarter than he let on. There was no sense in lying, but hiding the truth would be fine. "I'm sure she's fine. We've all dealt with these sorts of things before."  
  
"Giles, this is different," Xander disagreed.  
  
"How so?" Giles asked. 'Bravo, way to play dumb!' the British man prided himself.  
  
"She's alone this time," Xander mumbled with frustration evident in his voice. He felt useless. For the past year, Xander helped Buffy fight evil. He shared her problems. For the past month, he shared more. They shared joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. But now, she was alone. She was in danger and he wasn't by her side.  
  
"Xander, she ha fought alone before," Giles tried to reassure the young man.  
  
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Xander muttered. He fell silent for a few moments. "Giles, do you think they came after me because I'm Buffy's boyfriend?"  
  
Giles smiled wanly. 'Leave it to Xander to bring up the one subject I'm trying to avoid.' "I honestly don't know. I mean, we get attacked…"  
  
"Um Giles…," Xander interrupted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think my question was just answered."  
  
"What the…" Giles slammed on his brakes. The Citroen came to a screeching halt. The dust settled and revealed a small gang of vampires blocking the road. "Dear lord."  
  
Xander glanced over at the Watcher. "Any bright ideas?"  
  
  
  
"Duck!"  
  
Surprisingly, Eric obeyed and quickly dropped to the ground.  
  
Buffy sprung into action with a flying kick. Her heel met with the jaw of one unlucky vamp. Her target flew back and struck the wooden post of the balcony. The wood snapped and the railing broke off.  
  
"Thank you for making my life a little bit easier," Buffy said, flipping over and slamming her fist into the face of the second vampire.  
  
"Buffy!" Eric cried, jumping to his feet. He pulled his fist back and swung at the nearest demon. He missed and the vampire hit him with a counter-attack. Grabbing Eric's arm, the vamp flung the young man into the wall of the club. Eric's head met the concrete with a sickening thud and he slumped to the ground.   
  
Buffy tossed a quick glance at Eric's unmoving form before turning back to her opponents. With a quick shout of fury, Buffy launched herself at the nearest vamp. She slammed her flat palm into the base of his nose, enjoying the sound of cracking bones.  
  
The vampire screamed in agony and retaliated with a swift uppercut. The blow barely fazed the Slayer, only serving to knock her back a few inches.   
  
She grinned at her opponent, a smile so malicious it distorted her delicate features into a barely veiled mask of hatred. "You messed with the wrong girl," Buffy said, attacking the stunned vampire with a roundhouse kick. "And you know what, you guys aren't even worth wasting my breath over." Without warning, she reached over and grabbed the first vamp, lifting him off the ground. She tossed him forward and the vampire flew through the air. He landed on the broken banister, a piece of splintered wood piercing his heart. "Wham!" Buffy mumbled.  
  
The second demon stood up shakily from his place on the ground. He raced forward, hoping to catch Buffy unaware. But Buffy was ready for him. She kicked a foot out, coming in to contact with the damaged balcony. A piece of wood flew into the air and Buffy caught it with ease. She held it still, facing outward, and the vampire impaled himself on the wood. As he turned into dust, the Slayer faked a yawn. "Bam!"  
  
Buffy caught movement in the shadows. A third vampire, apparently the watchdog, raced down the alley in a desperate attempt to escape.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Buffy muttered.She slammed her fist down on the glass table to her left. The smooth surface gave in under the force and shattered into many pieces. Buffy swept up one of the larger pieces and launched it Frisbee-style at the demon's retreating form. Her aim flawless, the broken glass sliced cleanly through the vampire's neck. His body hung motionless for a moment before disintegrating into a pile of ashes.  
  
"Thank you, ma'am" Buffy smiled, brushing her palms against her thighs. She turned, the smile dying.  
  
Kym stood in front of her, eyes wide with horror. Her back against the wall, the other girl slid down until she was sitting. She glanced up at the blond girl. "So, wanna tell me what that was all about?" 


	11. Double Dilemma

"Yo G-Man! Let's go!"  
  
"I'm almost ready," Giles muttered, pulling on his jacket. "And I've told you repeatedly not to call me that."  
  
"Whatever," Xander replied, dashing out the door. "Come on! My lady awaits!" he hollered over his shoulder.  
  
Giles shook his head and followed the boy's lead. Xander had already loaded the luggage into the trunk and was now waiting impatiently in the car. "Young love," Giles mumbled to himself as he pulled the door shut behind him.  
  
Giles climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Xander immediately leaned over and began flipping through radio stations. Under normal circumstances, Giles would be annoyed with Xander's choice in music. But these were hardly normal circumstances and Giles paid no attention to the ruckus coming from the speakers.  
  
The watcher was worried. His Slayer was in trouble and he wasn't there to help her. Giles wasn't sure if the attack on Xander was pre-meditated or just a fluke, but he wasn't ruling out any possibilities. Not yet, anyway.  
  
"It's bad, isn't it?"  
  
"Hmmm?" Giles was pulled from his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"  
  
"This thing with Buffy," Xander clarified. "It's not of the good, right?"  
  
"With Buffy?" Giles stalled. He knew the boy was worried about his girlfriend and didn't need to be alarmed any further. But the Watcher also knew that Xander was smarter than he let on. There was no sense in lying, but hiding the truth would be fine. "I'm sure she's fine. We've all dealt with these sorts of things before."  
  
"Giles, this is different," Xander disagreed.  
  
"How so?" Giles asked. 'Bravo, way to play dumb!' the British man prided himself.  
  
"She's alone this time," Xander mumbled with frustration evident in his voice. He felt useless. For the past year, Xander helped Buffy fight evil. He shared her problems. For the past month, he shared more. They shared joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. But now, she was alone. She was in danger and he wasn't by her side.  
  
"Xander, she ha fought alone before," Giles tried to reassure the young man.  
  
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Xander muttered. He fell silent for a few moments. "Giles, do you think they came after me because I'm Buffy's boyfriend?"  
  
Giles smiled wanly. 'Leave it to Xander to bring up the one subject I'm trying to avoid.' "I honestly don't know. I mean, we get attacked…"  
  
"Um Giles…," Xander interrupted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think my question was just answered."  
  
"What the…" Giles slammed on his brakes. The Citroen came to a screeching halt. The dust settled and revealed a small gang of vampires blocking the road. "Dear lord."  
  
Xander glanced over at the Watcher. "Any bright ideas?"  
  
  
  
"Duck!"  
  
Surprisingly, Eric obeyed and quickly dropped to the ground.  
  
Buffy sprung into action with a flying kick. Her heel met with the jaw of one unlucky vamp. Her target flew back and struck the wooden post of the balcony. The wood snapped and the railing broke off.  
  
"Thank you for making my life a little bit easier," Buffy said, flipping over and slamming her fist into the face of the second vampire.  
  
"Buffy!" Eric cried, jumping to his feet. He pulled his fist back and swung at the nearest demon. He missed and the vampire hit him with a counter-attack. Grabbing Eric's arm, the vamp flung the young man into the wall of the club. Eric's head met the concrete with a sickening thud and he slumped to the ground.   
  
Buffy tossed a quick glance at Eric's unmoving form before turning back to her opponents. With a quick shout of fury, Buffy launched herself at the nearest vamp. She slammed her flat palm into the base of his nose, enjoying the sound of cracking bones.  
  
The vampire screamed in agony and retaliated with a swift uppercut. The blow barely fazed the Slayer, only serving to knock her back a few inches.   
  
She grinned at her opponent, a smile so malicious it distorted her delicate features into a barely veiled mask of hatred. "You messed with the wrong girl," Buffy said, attacking the stunned vampire with a roundhouse kick. "And you know what, you guys aren't even worth wasting my breath over." Without warning, she reached over and grabbed the first vamp, lifting him off the ground. She tossed him forward and the vampire flew through the air. He landed on the broken banister, a piece of splintered wood piercing his heart. "Wham!" Buffy mumbled.  
  
The second demon stood up shakily from his place on the ground. He raced forward, hoping to catch Buffy unaware. But Buffy was ready for him. She kicked a foot out, coming in to contact with the damaged balcony. A piece of wood flew into the air and Buffy caught it with ease. She held it still, facing outward, and the vampire impaled himself on the wood. As he turned into dust, the Slayer faked a yawn. "Bam!"  
  
Buffy caught movement in the shadows. A third vampire, apparently the watchdog, raced down the alley in a desperate attempt to escape.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Buffy muttered.She slammed her fist down on the glass table to her left. The smooth surface gave in under the force and shattered into many pieces. Buffy swept up one of the larger pieces and launched it Frisbee-style at the demon's retreating form. Her aim flawless, the broken glass sliced cleanly through the vampire's neck. His body hung motionless for a moment before disintegrating into a pile of ashes.  
  
"Thank you, ma'am" Buffy smiled, brushing her palms against her thighs. She turned, the smile dying.  
  
Kym stood in front of her, eyes wide with horror. Her back against the wall, the other girl slid down until she was sitting. She glanced up at the blond girl. "So, wanna tell me what that was all about?" 


	12. She Slays, He Slays

Xander quickly counted the group of vampires blocking the old car's path. "Only six," he mumbled. "Geez, I'm only worth half a dozen? I should be worth at least a whole dozen. Maybe even a baker's dozen."  
  
"Xander, this is no time to joke," Giles chastised the boy.  
  
"Sorry, G-man, it's what I do," he stared at the approaching demons. "Can you just floor it?"  
  
"I don't think she'll make it," Giles muttered, slightly embarrassed.   
  
"Well, do you have any weapons?" Xander asked, growing frantic.  
  
"There's a bag in the back," Giles replied, trying to devise a plan.   
  
"Like a kid in the candy store," Xander laughed dryly, pulling the bag into the front seat and rummaging through its' contents. Giles shook his head. He never could understand the joy Xander could find at the most inopportune of times. But maybe that misplaced joy would keep the two of them alive.  
  
"Perhaps we should stay," Giles began.  
  
"Take this," Xander interrupted, handing Giles a crossbow. "Now aim and shoot."  
  
"I know how to…" Giles started to defend himself, but Xander interrupted him once more.  
  
"This paper important?" Xander asked, holding up that day's newspaper.  
  
"Well I was going to reread…"  
  
"Too bad, buy another," Xander said, crumbling up the paper. "And reverse this car, buy me more time." Xander reached over and pushed in the car's cigarette lighter.  
  
Giles threw the car into reverse and began to back away, putting distance between the car and the vampires. "I can turn around…"  
  
"Nah, they'll just come after us there. Might as well get rid of them now…Stop!" Xander cried. He reached over and grabbed the lighter as Giles slammed on the brakes. "Now start shooting!"  
  
Before Giles could stop him, the young man jumped out of the car and took off running toward the vampires, the wadded up newspaper in one hand and the lighter in the other.  
  
Giles muttered something incomprehensible and climbed out of the car. 'Careful, Rupert,' he coaxed himself. 'Aim and…fire!' Giles smiled slightly as the bolt hit its mark. But the satisfaction was only temporary as he quickly reached for another bolt.  
  
Xander smiled as the first vampire disappeared in a cloud of dust. But he knew the fight had just begun. 'Steady,' Xander told himself. 'Just wait.' Now was the time to be patient. 'Give them a moment and…'  
  
The five remaining vampire stared at their fallen comrade for a moment before turning to face Xander and Giles. "Get them!" The largest vamp, presumably the leader, hollered to the others. They all raced forward.  
  
Xander forced himself to remain still as the vamps gained momentum. He brought his two hands together. The first demon approached and Xander nailed him in the chest with his heel.  
  
"Not so fast," the boy said. The vampire stumbled backwards. 'Come on,' Xander silently cried.  
  
A small whoosh followed by a quiet poof bought Xander the precious seconds he needed. The vampire, almost to Xander, turned toward the sound just as the paper in Xander's hands began to smoke.   
  
Xander raced forward and pulled the vampire's shirt out. Seconds later, the vampire burst into flames. With a scream of tortured agony, the demon became nothing more than ashes.  
  
"Now these are odds I like," Xander said, approaching his next target.   
  
"Bloody hell!" Giles cried and threw the crossbow to the ground. The trigger mechanism was stuck, rendering it useless. He, too, raced forward.  
  
The next vampire was ready for Xander. He stopped the boy short with a right hook. Xander's head fell back and he could feel his teeth rattle. Then he quickly got back in the game by delivering a few quick punches to the vamp's midsection.  
  
The vampire motioned to one of the other vamps and before Xander could react, he was knocked from behind onto his knees.  
  
In one fluid motion, Xander grabbed the heel of the demon in front of him and tugged hard. The vamp's legs gave out and he found himself on his back. Wasting no time, Xander pulled a stake from his back pocket and buried it deep in the vampire's chest. Then he jumped back to his feet and turned to face the next one.  
  
Giles tossed a quick glance Xander and saw the boy was doing fairly well. But the Watcher soon found himself faced with an opponent of his own. He fell into attack mode and the only thing that mattered was the elimination of the opponent.   
  
'Left, right, duck, kick.' Giles could think of nothing more than those simple commands. Both man and vamp traded blows, landing a few here, missing others there.  
  
Giles felt something solid against his back and realized he was once more at his car. He glanced in the backseat of the car and got an idea. The Watcher quickly flung open the rear door, slamming into the vampire's midsection. "Oh, I'm so sorry."   
  
"S'ok," the vampire snarled, regaining his balance once more.  
  
"Not you, you bloody fool," Giles growled. "I was talking to my car." He reached into the seat and pulled out a plain white can.  
  
"What's that? Hairspray?" the vampire laughed.  
  
Giles pushed down on the nozzle and sent a quick, burning spray of liquid into the demon's eyes. The vamp howled in pain. "Starch, actually," the Watcher replied, casually pulling a stake from his jacket pocket. "Never leave home without it." Giles struck his opponent with the last fatal blow and removed his glasses. The faint sounds of a scuffle reminded him that there was one last vampire to go.  
  
Xander struggled to his feet just as the vampire he was fighting planted his foot in the boy's side. Xander doubled over in pain, desperately trying to catch his breath. He could see Giles' hurried approach out of the corner of his eye. Though it hurt, Xander jumped back to his feet.  
  
The demon before him smirked and leaned in closer. "Looks like the Slayer is gonna need a new boyfriend," he sneered. "Maybe Mistress will allow me to fill that position."  
  
"Stay away from Buffy," Xander growled.   
  
"Or you'll what?" the vampire leaned in and Xander could feel it's hot breath on his face.  
  
"I'll give you two simple rules for life, or unlife, as is your case," Xander grinned. "First, try breath mints, they do wonders."  
  
The vampire snarled angrily and swung at the boy.   
  
Ducking under the flailing arm, Xander silently motioned to Giles. His gaze never straying from the vamp's, Xander caught the stake and slammed it into the demon's heart. "And never mess with a guy's girlfriend. It ain't pretty."  
  
Exhausted, Xander slumped to the ground. Giles finally reached the boy and fell down beside him. "I must say you fought remarkably well."  
  
"Well, I've been training with Buffy a lot lately," Xander explained. "How about you? You were fairly vicious there."  
  
"Um, well, I…" Giles stammered. "I am a Watcher. I must be skilled enough to train my Slayer properly."  
  
"Good point," Xander mumbled, climbing to his feet. He extended a hand to Giles. "But speaking of Buffy, I want to get to her. Now."  
  
"Indeed," Giles agreed. "Let's go." 


End file.
